SOLUTION: Ben owns a fishpond whose length is 4 meters more than the width. A path of 2 meters surrounds the fishpond with a total area of 216m^2. What are the dimensions of the fishpond?

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Question 985034: Ben owns a fishpond whose length is 4 meters more than the width. A path of 2 meters surrounds the fishpond with a total area of 216m^2. What are the dimensions of the fishpond?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
w, width of pond
L, length of pond
u, path width around pond
A, area of the path

VARIABLES DESCRIBED OR ASSIGNED
system%28highlight_green%28L=w%2B4%29%2Cu=2%2CA=216%29

FIND w and L

Total Area minus Pond Area is the Path Area.
highlight_green%28%28L%2B2u%29%28w%2B2u%29-wL=A%29----Maybe misunderstanding how meant "total area";
wL%2B2uL%2B2uw%2B4u%5E2-wL-A=0
2uL%2B2uw%2B4u%5E2-A=0
Substitute for L;
2u%28w%2B4%29%2B2uw%2B4u%5E2-A=0
2uw%2B8u%2B2uw%2B4u%5E2-A=0
4uw%2B8u%2B4u%5E2-A=0
4uw=A-8u-4u%5E2
highlight_green%28w=%28A-8u-4u%5E2%29%2F4u%29

Substitute the given values for u and A and evaluate w;
Use this result to evauate L.