document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=99336>Question 99336</A>This question is from textbook <A HREF=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0395461405/algebrahomeworkh>algebra structure and method</A><BR>\n" );
document.write( ": <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Kirsten built a rectangular corral with a fence on three sides.A side of the barn served as a short side of the corral.She used 130m of fencing.The length of the corral was 20m longer than the width. Find the dimensions of the corral.Choices for the widths:25, 30, 35. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #72265 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=72265\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Since the side of the barn served as one width of the corral, Kirsten's 130 meters of fencing<BR>\n" );
document.write( "had to serve as the other width (W) and the two lengths (L). So the 130 meters of fencing<BR>\n" );
document.write( "must provide W + L + L. In equation form this is:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "W + L + L = 130<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "But you are told that L is 20 meters longer than W which means L = W + 20. In the equation<BR>\n" );
document.write( "for the total length of the fencing you can substitute W + 20 for L since they are equal. This<BR>\n" );
document.write( "makes the equation become:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "W + (W + 20) + (W + 20) = 130<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The two sets of parentheses are each preceded by a plus sign, so the parentheses can be<BR>\n" );
document.write( "removed without affecting the equation. This makes the equation become:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "W + W + 20 + W + 20 = 130<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "On the left side combine the three W terms and the two 20's to make the equation:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3W + 40 = 130<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Get rid of the 40 on the left side by subtracting 40 from both sides to reduce the equation<BR>\n" );
document.write( "to:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3W = 90<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Finally, solve for W (the width) by dividing both sides by 3 (the multiplier of W) to get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "W = 90/3 = 30 meters<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since W is 30 meters and L is 20 meters longer than that, L must be 30 + 20 or 50 meters.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "This says the size of the corral is 30 meters by 50 meters. And 30 meters of the barn wall<BR>\n" );
document.write( "is used as one side of this corral. The total amount of fencing used is 50 meters plus<BR>\n" );
document.write( "30 meters plus another 50 meters, and this adds up to be 130 meters. <BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand what the problem was asking for and how you can go about <BR>\n" );
document.write( "getting the answer.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ". </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );