SOLUTION: If the length of a rectangle is 3 feet longer than the width and the diagonal is 5 feet, then what are the length and width?

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Question 222512: If the length of a rectangle is 3 feet longer than the width and the diagonal is 5 feet, then what are the length and width?
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If the length of a rectangle is 3 feet longer than the width and the diagonal
is 5 feet, then what are the length and width?
:
Using a^2 + b^2 = c^2
where
let x = width (a)
then
(x+3) = the length (b)
and
c = 5
:
x^2 + (x+3)^2 = 5^2
FOIL
x^2 + x^2 + 6x + 9 = 25
;
2x^2 + 6x = 9 - 25 = 0
:
2x^2 + 6x - 16 = 0
Simplify, divide by 2
x^2 + 3x - 8 = 0
Use the quadratic formula to find x
x+=+%28-b+%2B-+sqrt%28+b%5E2-4%2Aa%2Ac+%29%29%2F%282%2Aa%29+
in this problem: a=1; b=3; c=8
x+=+%28-3+%2B-+sqrt%283%5E2+-+4+%2A1%2A-8+%29%29%2F%282%2A1%29+
:
Do the math and you should get a positive solution: x=1.7 is the width
and
4.7 is the length
;
;
Check on a calc enter sqrt%281.7%5E2+%2B+4.7%5E2%29 = 4.998 ~ 5