SOLUTION: Please help, I am lost at how to do this problem. The combined area of a square and a rectangle is 64 centimeters. The width of the rectangle is 2 centimeters more than the leng

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Question 138316: Please help, I am lost at how to do this problem.
The combined area of a square and a rectangle is 64 centimeters. The width of the rectangle is 2 centimeters more than the lenght of a side of the square, and the lenght of the rectangle is 2 centimeters more than it width. Find the dimensions of the square and the rectangle?
Answer by scott8148(6628) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
let x="side of square"

"The width of the rectangle is 2 centimeters more than the lenght of a side of the square"
__ x+2

"the lenght of the rectangle is 2 centimeters more than it width" __ x+2+2 __ x+4

64=(x)(x)+(x+2)(x+4) __ 64=x^2+x^2+6x+8 __ dividing by 2 __ 32=x^2+3x+4

subtracting 32 __ 0=x^2+3x-28 __ factoring __ 0=(x+7)(x-4)

x=-7 and x=4 __ negative value not realistic