document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=290059>Question 290059</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> if the area is 40 square meters, and the perimeter is 26 meters, what is the length and the width? (this was a question on my son's grade 4 math test that is stumping me...) </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #209940 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=dabanfield><B>dabanfield(803)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-11.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=dabanfield><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=209940\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> if the area is 40 square meters, and the perimeter is 26 meters, what is the length and the width? (this was a question on my son's grade 4 math test that is stumping me...)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Wow. 4th grade??? !!!\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Let W be the length and L be the length of the rectangle?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Then the area is W*L and the perimeter is 2*W + 2*L. So we have:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "1.) W*L = 40<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2.) 2*W + 2*L = 26\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "From 1.) we know that W = 40/L so we can substitute 40/L for W in equation 2.):\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "2*(40/L) + 2*L = 26\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "80/L + 2*L = 26\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Multiply both sides of this equation by L:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "80 + 2L*L = 26*L\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "80 + 2L^2 = 26*L<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2L^2 - 26L + 80 = 0\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Divide both sides by 2:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "L^2 - 13L + 40 = 0\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(L-8)*(L-5) = 40\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So L-8 = 0 or L-5 = 0.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "L = 8 or L = 5\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If L = 8 then W = 40/8 = 5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "If L = 5 then W = 40/5 = 8\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I don't see an easier way to do this unless it's just to \"see\" the answer or experiment until you get the right combination for L and W. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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