SOLUTION: I am totally lost on this problem, can someone figure it out showing me the steps please? A garden is 30 ft long and 20 ft wide. A path of uniform width is set around the edge.

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Question 50316This question is from textbook Beginning Algebra
: I am totally lost on this problem, can someone figure it out showing me the steps please?
A garden is 30 ft long and 20 ft wide. A path of uniform width is set around the edge. If the remaining garden area is 400 ft^2, what is the width of the path? This question is from textbook Beginning Algebra

Answer by checkley71(8403) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
20*30=600 is trhe original garden area before the path is made. thus
(20-2x)(30-2x)=400 or 600-60x-40x+4x^2=400 or 4x^2-100x+200=0 or
x^2-25x+50=0 or using the quadratic equation we get x=22.8 & x=2.2
thus the path is 2.2 ft wide
proof (30-4.4)(20-4.4)=400 or 25.6*15.6=400 or 400=400