document.write( "Question 1196831: If two opposite sides of a square are increased by 8m. and the other 2 sides are decreased by 4 m. the area of the rectangle formed is 133 m^2. Find the area of the original square. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #829846 by greenestamps(13200) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\n" ); document.write( "(1) Using formal algebra (which is probably what you were asked to do...)

\n" ); document.write( "x = side of original square

\n" ); document.write( "x+8 and x-4 are side lengths of rectangle

\n" ); document.write( "The area of the rectangle is 133:

\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28x%2B8%29%28x-4%29=133\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%5E2%2B4x-32=133\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%5E2%2B4x-165=0\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28x%2B15%29%28x-11%29=0\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x=-15\"$ or $\"x=11\"$

\n" ); document.write( "Clearly the negative solution makes no sense in the problem, so the side length of the square was 11m.

\n" ); document.write( "ANSWER: area of original square = 11^2 = 121 square meters

\n" ); document.write( "(2) Using simple mental arithmetic...

\n" ); document.write( "133 = 7(19) = (11-4)(11+8)

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