document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1189257>Question 1189257</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> A rectangular piece of fabric is 4 times as long as its width. If it is 25% shorter and 200% wider, it will become a square piece of fabric with an area of 36 m2. What are the dimensions of the piece of fabric? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #820565 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13200)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><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=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=820565\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I'm quite astonished by this problem.  The statement of the problem is 100% correct both grammatically and mathematically.  That is almost NEVER the case when a phrase like \"200% wider\" is used.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I applaud the author of the problem for using correct English!<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"A rectangular piece of fabric is 4 times as long as its width.\"<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let the width be x; then the length is 4x.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"If it is 25% shorter and 200% wider...\"<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "25% shorter means 75% as long; 75% of 4x is 3x.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "200% wider means the width is INCREASED by 200%, which means it becomes 100%+200% = 300% AS WIDE, or 3 times AS WIDE as it was; 3 times x is 3x.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"...it will become a square piece of fabric...\"<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Indeed it will be -- the length and width are both 3x.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"... with an area of 36 m^2\"<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%283x%29%283x%29=36 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%283x%29%283x%29=36\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=9x%5E2=36 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"9x%5E2=36\"   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=4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2=4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (obviously we reject the solution x=-2, since it makes no sense as the width of the piece of fabric)<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWERS: width = x = 2m; length = 4x = 8m<br><BR>\n" );
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