document.write( "Question 707196: Each side of a square is lengthened by 3 inches. The area of this new, larger square is 64 square inches. Find the length of a side of the original square. Explain how you got your answer. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #435560 by fcabanski(1391) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Call the sides of the original square x. The sides of the new square are x+3, and its area is side times side = (x+3)*(x+3) = 64.

\n" ); document.write( "Solve for x. First multiply the left...use FOIL...

\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%5E2+%2B+6x+%2B+9+=+64\"$ ...subtract 64 from both sides $\"x%5E2+%2B+6x+-55+=+0\"$

\n" ); document.write( "Factor using reverse foil (two numbers that when multiplied are -55 and when added are 6...11 * -5.)

\n" ); document.write( "(x+11)*(x-5) = 0 ----> x+11=0 so x=-11 and x-5=0 so x=5.

\n" ); document.write( "The side of a square cannot have a negative length, so ignore -11. x=5, and the area of a square with length 5 is 5*5=25 square inches.
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Hope the solution helped. Sometimes you need more than a solution. Contact fcabanski@hotmail.com for online, private tutoring, or personalized problem solving (quick for groups of problems.) \n" ); document.write( "

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