SOLUTION: Hi I am completley lost on this question that was asked in my math homework. a square has its length increased by 2 inches and its width decreased by 3 inches. the resulting rec

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Question 449827: Hi I am completley lost on this question that was asked in my math homework.
a square has its length increased by 2 inches and its width decreased by 3 inches. the resulting rectangle has an area of 14 square inches. Determine the area of the original square?
help is much appericated thank you!
Found 2 solutions by mananth, ankor@dixie-net.com:
Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x = length of side of square
increased by 2= x+2
decreased by 3 = x-3
Area = L*W
(x+2)(x-3)=14
x^2-x-6=14
x^2-x-20=0
x^2-5x+4x-20=0
x(x-5)+4(x-5)=0
(x-5)(x+4)=0
x= 5 inches the length of the side.
so you now know what the area of square is.

Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
a square has its length increased by 2 inches and its width decreased by 3 inches.
the resulting rectangle has an area of 14 square inches.
Determine the area of the original square?
:
Let x = the side of the original square
then
(x+2) = new length
(x-3} = new width
and new area
(x+2)*(x-3) = 14
FOIL
x^2 - 3x + 2x - 6 = 14
Combine like terms
x^2 - x - 6 - 14 = 0
x^2 - x - 20 = 0
Factors to
(x-5)(x+4) = 0
Positive solution is all we want here
x = 5 in, side of original square
then
5^2 = 25 sq/in is the area of the original square
:
:
Check this by finding the new area
(5+2)*(5-3) = 14