document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=289094>Question 289094</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The length of a rectangle is 3 inches more than the width. The area of the rectangle is 154 inches. Find the width of the rectangle. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #209483 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><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=209483\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let L = length and W = width\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Since \"The length of a rectangle is 3 inches more than the width\", we know that <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=L=W%2B3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"L=W%2B3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (just add 3 to the width to get the length). Furthermore, we're given that \"The area of the rectangle is 154 inches\", so we can say that <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=154=LW ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"154=LW\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (recall that the area of a rectangle is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=A=LW ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"A=LW\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, multiply the length and width to get the area).\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So we have the two equations: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=L=W%2B3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"L=W%2B3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=154=LW ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"154=LW\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=154=LW ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"154=LW\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the second equation.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=154=%28W%2B3%29W ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"154=%28W%2B3%29W\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Plug in <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=L=W%2B3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"L=W%2B3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. In other words, replace each \"L\" with \"W+3\". Notice how the \"L\" terms are now gone and we now have an equation with one variable.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=154=W%28W%2B3%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"154=W%28W%2B3%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Rearrange the terms.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=154=W%5E2%2B3W ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"154=W%5E2%2B3W\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Distribute.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=0=W%5E2%2B3W-154 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"0=W%5E2%2B3W-154\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Subtract 154 from both sides.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=0=%28W%2B14%29%28W-11%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"0=%28W%2B14%29%28W-11%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > <a  rel=nofollow HREF=\"\">Factor</a> the right side.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=W%2B14=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"W%2B14=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=W-11=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"W-11=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Use the zero product property.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=W=-14 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"W=-14\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=W=11 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"W=11\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Solve for 'W' in each equation.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So the two <i>possible</i> solutions for 'W' are <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=W=-14 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"W=-14\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=W=11 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"W=11\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. However, since we can't have a negative width, the only solution is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=W=11 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"W=11\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So the width is 11 inches. Now just plug this value into <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=L=W%2B3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"L=W%2B3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=L=W%2B3=11%2B3=14 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"L=W%2B3=11%2B3=14\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. So the length is 14 inches.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Take note that the length is indeed more than width and that 11*14=154 which verifies our answer. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );