SOLUTION: The area of a rectangle is 20x^2-27x-8. The length is 4x+1. What is the width?

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Question 297396: The area of a rectangle is 20x^2-27x-8. The length is 4x+1. What is the width?
Answer by richwmiller(17219) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
let's factor
20x^2-27x-8=
We need factors of -160 which add to -27
we know we have 4x and 1
-32 and +5
factor 20
5 and 4 and -8
factor -32 4 and -8
-32 +5=-27
-32 4 and -8
(4x+1)*(5x-8)
The width is 5x-8
We could also have divided 20x^2-27x-8
4x-1