document.write( "Question 628205: A rectangular garden is 60 ft by 80 ft. Part of the garden is torn up to install a sidewalk of uniform width around the garden. The new area of the garden is one sixth of the old area. How wide is the sidewalk?\r
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document.write( "60-x, 80-x \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #395469 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! A rectangular garden is 60 ft by 80 ft. \n" ); document.write( " Part of the garden is torn up to install a sidewalk of uniform width around the garden. \n" ); document.write( " The new area of the garden is one sixth of the old area. \n" ); document.write( " How wide is the sidewalk? \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Let x = the width of the walk \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "The new dimensions of the garden will be (60-2x) by (80-2x) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Find the original area: 60*80 = 4800 sq/ft \n" ); document.write( "Find the new area: \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "(60-2x)*(80-2x) = 800 \n" ); document.write( "FOIL \n" ); document.write( "4800 - 120x - 160x + 4x^2 = 800 \n" ); document.write( "Combine on the left as a quadratic equation \n" ); document.write( "4x^2 - 280x + 4800 - 800 = 0 \n" ); document.write( "4x^2 - 280x + 4000 = 0 \n" ); document.write( "simplify divide by 4 \n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 70x + 1000 = 0 \n" ); document.write( "Factors to \n" ); document.write( "(x-20)(x-50) = 0 \n" ); document.write( "Two solutions \n" ); document.write( "x = 50, not reasonable \n" ); document.write( "and \n" ); document.write( "x = 20 ft is the width of the walk \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Check this with the new dimensions (2x = 40): \n" ); document.write( " (80-40)*(60-40) = 800 sq/ft \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |