SOLUTION: If a garden that measures 12 meters by 16 meters has a pedestrian pathway installed around it, increasing the total area to 285 square meters, what will be the width of the pathway

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Question 259936: If a garden that measures 12 meters by 16 meters has a pedestrian pathway installed around it, increasing the total area to 285 square meters, what will be the width of the pathway?
Answer by checkley77(12844) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
(12+2x)(16+2x)=285
192+32x+24x+4x^2-285=0
4x^2+56x-93=0
x+=+%28-b+%2B-+sqrt%28+b%5E2-4%2Aa%2Ac+%29%29%2F%282%2Aa%29+
x=(-56+-sqrt[56^2-4*4*-93])/2*4
x=(-56+-sqrt[3,136+1,488])/8
x=(-56+-sqrt4,624)/8
x=(-56+-68)/8
x=(-56+68)/8
x=12/8
x=1.5 meters is the width of the pathway.
Proof:
(12+2*1.5)(16+2*1.5)=285
(12+3)(16+3)=285
15*19=285
285=285