SOLUTION: One side of a rectangular 72 square foot garden is 6 feet longer than the other side. What are the dimensions of the garden, starting with the shorter length first?

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Question 1170404: One side of a rectangular 72 square foot garden is 6 feet longer than the other side.
What are the dimensions of the garden, starting with the shorter length first?
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, greenestamps:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
cross%28%2872%2Aft%5E2%29%2F%286%2Aft%29%29----------the size of the width

Answer by greenestamps(13200) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


The other tutor didn't read the problem correctly....

The area is length times width; and the length is 6 (feet) longer than the width.

x = width
x+6 = length

The area is 72:

x%28x%2B6%29+=+72
x%5E2%2B6x+=+72
x%5E2%2B6x-72+=+0

To solve that, you need to factor the quadratic by finding two numbers whose product is 72 and whose difference is 6.

But that is what the original problem requires you to do.

So the formal algebra doesn't help you solve the problem; so (if a formal algebraic solution is not required) solve it mentally by finding two numbers that differ by 6 and have a product of 72: 6 and 12.

ANSWER: the garden is 6 by 12 feet.