document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1022701>Question 1022701</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> A square playing field is to be changed to a rectangular shape by adding 2 m to the length and subtracting 2 m from the width.  Determine which playing field has the larger area: the original square field or the new rectangular field. What is the difference in area? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #638323 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=638323\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> let the side of the square playing field be called x.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "the area of the square playing field is equal to side * side which is equal to side squared which is equal to x^2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "since it is square, the length and the width are both equal to x.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "add 2 meters to the length and you get a length of x + 2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "subtract 2 meters from the width to get a width of x - 2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "the area of the rectangular playing field is equal to length * width which is equal to (x + 2) * (x-2) which is equal to x^2 - 4.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "the area of the square playing field is greater than the area of the rectangular playing field by 4 meters.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x^2 minus (x^2 - 4) = x^2 - x^2 + 4 = 4.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "the difference in the area will always be 4 meters, regardless of the value of x.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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