document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1165642>Question 1165642</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The length of a Ping-Pong table is 2 feet less than twice the width. The area of the Ping-Pong table is 40 square feet. What are the dimensions of the table? </SPAN>\n" );
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document.write( "An area of 40 probably means either 4x10 or 5x8; see if either of those satisfies the given conditions.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Yes; 5x8. The length, 8, is 2 less than twice the width, 5.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Presumably you are supposed to solve the problem using formal algebra....<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let x be the width; then the length is 2x-2 (2 less than twice the width).<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The area is 40:<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%282x-2%29+=+40 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%282x-2%29+=+40\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%28x-1%29+=+20 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%28x-1%29+=+20\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2-x+=+20 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2-x+=+20\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2-x-20+=+0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2-x-20+=+0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x-5%29%28x%2B4%29+=+0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x-5%29%28x%2B4%29+=+0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Obviously the negative solution makes no sense in the given problem.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWER: width = x = 5; length = 2x-2 = 8.<br><BR>\n" );
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