document.write( "Question 473367: A rectangular lawn 40 ft long and 30 ft wide has a path of uniform width around it. If the area of the path is 800 sq. ft. Find the width of the path
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Algebra.Com's Answer #324965 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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A rectangular lawn 40 ft long and 30 ft wide has a path of uniform width around it.
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\n" ); document.write( "Let x = the width of the path
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\n" ); document.write( "The overall dimensions, including the surrounding path: (2x+40) by (2x+30)
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\n" ); document.write( "Overall area - lawn area = path area
\n" ); document.write( "[(2x+40)*(2x+30)] - (40*30) = 800
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\n" ); document.write( "FOIL & Multiply
\n" ); document.write( "4x^2 + 60x + 80x + 1200 - 1200 = 800
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\n" ); document.write( "A quadratic equation
\n" ); document.write( "4x^2 + 140x - 800 = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "simplify, divide by 4
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 + 35x - 200 = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "Factors to
\n" ); document.write( "(x+40)(x-5) = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "The positive solution is what we want here
\n" ); document.write( "x = 5 ft is the width of the path
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\n" ); document.write( "Check solution by finding the areas
\n" ); document.write( "(10+40) * (10+30) = 2000 - 1200 = 800
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