document.write( "Question 41579: May I please have some help? A soccer field is 336yd^2. The width is 5yd longer than its length. What is the length and width of the soccer field. Thanks for your help. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #26841 by mszlmb(115)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Given soccer fields are rectangular:
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document.write( "2 variables, the width, and the length of the soccer field.
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document.write( "The width is 5 longer than the length.
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document.write( "The width times the length is 336.
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document.write( "The unit is yards.
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document.write( "W=L+5
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document.write( "WL=336
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document.write( "substitute for W in \"WL=336\".
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document.write( "(L+5)L=336  distribute
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document.write( "L2+5L=336  subtract 336 from both sides
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document.write( "L2+5L-336=0  Factor (or use quadradic formula)\r
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document.write( "2 numbers which multiply to -336 and add to 5, so 1 number must be negative.
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document.write( "336=112*3=56*6=28*12=14*24=7*48, but you'll notice none of those have a difference of 5..let's try 2's
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document.write( "336=168*2=84*4=42*8=21*16 aha!  difference of 5. so we alter the equation:\r
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document.write( "L2+5L-336=L2-16L+21L-336 
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document.write( "Now we factor:
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document.write( "L2-16L+21L-336  take out like terms:
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document.write( "L(L-16)+21(L-16)  put like terms 2gether
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document.write( "(L+21)(L-16)=0  so 1 of thoz = 0
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document.write( "L=-21, or it equals 16. A side is hardly negative; but definitely not for a football field, therefore L=16.
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document.write( "W=L+5 so W=16+5, or 21.
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document.write( "W=21yards
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document.write( "L=15yards\r
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document.write( "..I'm beginning to think there was a simpler way of figuring this out, I cannot put my finger on it. \n" );
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