SOLUTION: 3. Aimee Eslinger is planning an expansion of a square flower garden in a city park. If each side of the original garden is increased by 7 meters, the new total area of the garden

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Question 293899: 3. Aimee Eslinger is planning an expansion of a square flower garden in a city park. If each side of the original garden is increased by 7 meters, the new total area of the garden will be 169 square meters. Find the length of each side of the original garden. Write the answer as a polynomial in descending powers of x.

Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
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A square flower garden.
If each side of the original garden is increased by 7 meters, the new total area
of the garden will be 169 square meters.
Find the length of each side of the original garden.
Write the answer as a polynomial in descending powers of x.
:
Let x = length of the side of the original garden
then
(x+7) = length of the expanded garden
:
(x+7)^2 = 169
FOIL
x^2 + 14x + 49 = 169
:
x^2 + 14x + 49 - 169 = 0
:
x^2 + 14x - 120 = 0; (polynomial in descending powers of x)
:
This will factor
(x+20)(x-6) = 0
The positive solution
x = 6 original length
:
:
Check solution
(6+7)^2 = 169