SOLUTION: A rectangle has an area of 144 square inches. The length is 10 inches longer than the width. How do you solve?

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Question 847300: A rectangle has an area of 144 square inches. The length is 10 inches longer than the width. How do you solve?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
L length, w width.
L=w+10.
L%2Aw=144
%28w%2B10%29w=144
w%5E2%2B10w=144
w%5E2%2B10w-144=0
Do you want to look for a factorization?

If not, then, discriminant is 100-4%28-144%29=100%2B4%2A144=676.
676=4%2A169=4%2A13%5E2=2%5E2%2A13%5E2=26%5E2.
You want the general solution choice which uses the positive square root.
w=%28-10%2Bsqrt%2826%5E2%29%29%2F2
w=%2826-10%29%2F2
highlight%28w=8%29 which means highlight%28L=18%29