document.write( "Question 632410: Megan's backyard has a small pound that is 15 feet by 10 feet. her mother wants to add a wooden deck pathway around the pound, so that the area of the pool and deck is 234 ft squared. how wide does the pathway need to be to fulfill Megan's mom's request? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #398276 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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Megan's backyard has a small pound that is 15 feet by 10 feet.
\n" ); document.write( " her mother wants to add a wooden deck pathway around the pound, so that the
\n" ); document.write( " area of the pool and deck is 234 ft squared.
\n" ); document.write( " how wide does the pathway need to be to fulfill Megan's mom's request?
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Let x = the width of the pathway around the pond
\n" ); document.write( "then the over all dimensions: (2x+15) by (2x+10)
\n" ); document.write( "The Area
\n" ); document.write( "(2x+15)*(2x+10) = 234
\n" ); document.write( "FOIL
\n" ); document.write( "4x^2 + 20x + 30x + 150 = 234
\n" ); document.write( "4x^2 + 50x + 150 - 234 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "4x^2 + 50x - 84 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "Simplify, divide by 2
\n" ); document.write( "2x^2 + 25x - 42 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "You can use the quadratic formula, but this will factor to:
\n" ); document.write( "(2x-3)(x+14) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "the positive solution
\n" ); document.write( "2x = 3
\n" ); document.write( "x = 1.5 ft is the width of the walkway
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Check this by finding the area with this value
\n" ); document.write( "(2(1.5)+15) * (2(1.5)+10) = 234
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