document.write( "Question 103961: A 60 by 80-foot rectangular walk in a park is surrounds a flower bed. If the walk is of uniform width and its area is equal to the area of the flower bed, how wide is the walk.? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #75683 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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A 60 by 80-foot rectangular walk in a park is surrounds a flower bed. If the walk is of uniform width and its area is equal to the area of the flower bed, how wide is the walk.?
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\n" ); document.write( "Total area: 60 * 80 = 4800
\n" ); document.write( "Since the walk and the flower bed have equal area,
\n" ); document.write( "Flower bed area = 2400 sq ft
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\n" ); document.write( "Let sidewalk width = x
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\n" ); document.write( "Dimension of the flower bed: (60-2x) by (80-2x)
\n" ); document.write( "Therefore:
\n" ); document.write( "(60-2x) * (80-2x) = 2400
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\n" ); document.write( "4800 - 280x + 4x^2 = 2400; FOILed
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\n" ); document.write( "4x^2 - 280x + 4800 - 2400 = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "4x^2 - 280x + 2400 = 0; a quadratic equation
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\n" ); document.write( "Simplify, divide by 4:
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 - 70x + 600 = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "Factors to:
\n" ); document.write( "(x-60)(x-10) = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "x = 10 ft is the width of the sidewalk (reasonable solution)
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\n" ); document.write( "Check solution by finding out if the area is 2400
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\n" ); document.write( "(60-20)*(80-20) = 2400 sq/ft
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\n" ); document.write( "Did this make sense to you? Any questions? \n" ); document.write( "
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