document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=161327>Question 161327</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I need help please!!! I can't figure this out at all. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "While finding the amount of seed to plant his three suare wheat fields, Hank observed that the side of one field was 1 kilometer longer than the side of the smallest field and that the side of the largest field was 3 kilometers longer than the side of the smallest field. If the total area of the three fields is 38 square kilometers, then what is the area of each field? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #118820 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=nerdybill><B>nerdybill(7384)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=nerdybill><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=nerdybill><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=118820\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let x = length of side of smallest field<BR>\n" );
document.write( "then because \"the side of one field was 1 kilometer longer than the side of the smallest field\"<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x+1 = length of one field<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and because \"the largest field was 3 kilometers longer than the side of the smallest field.\"<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x+3 = length of largest field<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Area of each field is side^2:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 + (x+1)^2 + (x+3)^2 = 38<BR>\n" );
document.write( "expanding through FOIL:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 + x^2+2x+1 + x^2+6x+9 = 38<BR>\n" );
document.write( "combining like-terms:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3x^2 + 8x + 10 = 38<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3x^2 + 8x - 28 = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(3x+14)(x-2) = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = {-14/3, 2}<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "We can toss out the negative solution leaving us with:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 2 km<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 = 4 sq km (smallest field)<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x+1)^2 = x^2+2x+1 = 2^2+2(2)+1 = 4+4+1 = 9 sq km (one field)<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x+3)^2 = x^2+6x+9 = 2^2+6(2)+9 = 4+12+9 = 25 sq km (largest field)<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Answer: <BR>\n" );
document.write( "4 square kilometers<BR>\n" );
document.write( "9 square kilometers<BR>\n" );
document.write( "25 square kilometers </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );