SOLUTION: How do you find the area of a rectangular garden with dimensions ( x + 5 ) and ( 3x - 1 )?

Algebra ->  Length-and-distance -> SOLUTION: How do you find the area of a rectangular garden with dimensions ( x + 5 ) and ( 3x - 1 )?      Log On


   

Question 615940: How do you find the area of a rectangular garden with dimensions ( x + 5 ) and ( 3x - 1 )?
Answer by jsmallt9(3758) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
How? Answer: The way you always find area of a rectangle: length times width. So for your garden the area would be:
A = (x+5)(3x-1)
Now just use FOIL to multiply it out.

You probably would not have asked for help if you were told that the length was 5 and the width was 3. You know how to find areas of rectangles. You just let yourself get distracted by fact that the length and width were not simple numbers. The lesson here that area of rectangles is always length times width no matter what the length and width look like!