document.write( "Question 584762: The area of the piece is 30 ft². The length is 1 less than 3 times the width. How wide should the metal piece be? Round to the nearest hundredth of a foot. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #372871 by nerdybill(7384)\"\" \"About 
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The area of the piece is 30 ft². The length is 1 less than 3 times the width. How wide should the metal piece be? Round to the nearest hundredth of a foot.
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\n" ); document.write( "Let w = width
\n" ); document.write( "then
\n" ); document.write( "3w-1 = length
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\n" ); document.write( "w(3w-1) = 30
\n" ); document.write( "3w^2-w = 30
\n" ); document.write( "3w^2-w-30 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "replace middle term:
\n" ); document.write( "3w^2 +9w-10w -30 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "group terms:
\n" ); document.write( "(3w^2+9w) - (10w+30) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "3w(w+3) - 10(w+3) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "(w+3)(3w-10) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "w = {-3, 10/3}
\n" ); document.write( "throw out the negative solution (extraneous) leaving:
\n" ); document.write( "w = 10/3
\n" ); document.write( "w = 3.33 feet\r
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