SOLUTION: The length of each side of a square in 3 inches more than the length of each side of a smaller square. The sum of the areas is 425 inches squared. Find the length of the sides of b

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Question 946049: The length of each side of a square in 3 inches more than the length of each side of a smaller square. The sum of the areas is 425 inches squared. Find the length of the sides of both triangles.
Answer by Fombitz(32388) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Do you mean length of the sides of both squares?
I hope so.
Let s be the side of the larger square.
s%5E2%2B%28s-3%29%5E2=425
s%5E2%2Bs%5E2-6s%2B9=425
2s%5E2-6s-416=0
s%5E2-3s-208=0
%28s-16%29%28s%2B13%29=0
We only need the positive solution.
s-16=0
s=16
So then,
s-3=13
First square has length 16, smaller square has length 13.