document.write( "Question 98127: Could you please help me solve this word problem?\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Crafts. A solar collector is 2.5 m long by 2.0 m wide. It is held in place by a frame of uniform width around its outside edge. If the exposed collector is 4m^2, what is the width of the frame to the nearest tenth of a centimeter?\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Thank you \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #71430 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A solar collector is 2.5 m long by 2.0 m wide. It is held in place by a frame of uniform width around its outside edge. If the exposed collector is 4m^2, what is the width of the frame to the nearest tenth of a centimeter?
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Let x = width of the outside frame (in meters)
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Dimensions of the exposed collector, (2.5 - 2x) by (2 - 2x) = 4
\n" ); document.write( "Area:
\n" ); document.write( "(2.5 - 2x) * (2 - 2x) = 4
\n" ); document.write( "FOIL
\n" ); document.write( "5 - 5x - 4x + 4x^2 = 4
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "4x^2 - 9x + 5 - 4 = 0
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "4x^2 - 9x + 1 = 0
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Use the quadratic formula for this: a = 4, b = -9, c = 1
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-b+%2B-+sqrt%28+b%5E2-4%2Aa%2Ac+%29%29%2F%282%2Aa%29+\"
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-%28-9%29+%2B-+sqrt%28+-9%5E2+-+4+%2A+4+%2A+1+%29%29%2F%282%2A4%29+\"
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28%2B9+%2B-+sqrt%2881+-+16+%29%29%2F%288%29+\"
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28%2B9+%2B-+sqrt%2865%29%29%2F%288%29+\"
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Solution 1:
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28%2B9+%2B+8.06225775%29%2F%288%29+\"
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "x = \"17.06225775%2F8\"
\n" ); document.write( "x = 2.13278 meters * 100 = 213.3 cm, not a possible solution
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Solution 2:
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28%2B9+-+8.06225775%29%2F%288%29+\"
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "x = \".93774%2F8\"
\n" ); document.write( "x = .11721 meters * 100 = 11.7 cm, a reasonable answer
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Check solution by finding the area of exposed collector
\n" ); document.write( "2x = 2(.117) = .234 m
\n" ); document.write( "(2.5 - .234) * (2 - .234) =
\n" ); document.write( "2.266 * 1.766 = 4.00 sq m confirms our solution \n" ); document.write( "
\n" );