document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=156292>Question 156292</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The width of a rectangle is 5ft. less then the length. The area of the rectangle is 176ft^2 Find the length and width of the rectabgle. I tried looking in my math and other books for examples and can't seem to find one.Please help<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Thanks   </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #115100 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=kdr><B>kdr(11)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-06.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=kdr><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=115100\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let L be the length of the rectangle. Let W be the width.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The area of a rectangle is found by multiplying the length times the width.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, Area = LW<BR>\n" );
document.write( "But we know the area is 176 ft.^2, so we can write this equation:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "176 ft^2 = LW<BR>\n" );
document.write( "We also know the width is 5 ft. less than the length, so we can write this equation:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "W = L - 5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Now, substitute L-5 for W in the first equation:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "176 = L(L-5)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "176 = L^2 - 5L<BR>\n" );
document.write( "0 = L^2 - 5L -176<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Factoring gives us:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "0 = (L + 11)(L - 16)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, either <BR>\n" );
document.write( "L + 11 = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "giving<BR>\n" );
document.write( "L = -11<BR>\n" );
document.write( "or<BR>\n" );
document.write( "L - 16 = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "giving<BR>\n" );
document.write( "L = 16\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Since the length of the rectangle cannot be a negative value, the length, L, is 16. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since W = L - 5,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "W = 16 - 5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "W = 11\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "The length of the rectangle is 16 feet, the width is 11 feet.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Checking:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Area = L*W<BR>\n" );
document.write( "176 ft^2 = (16 ft)(11 ft)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "176 ft^2 = 176 ft^2 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );