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| Question 458139:  A piece of sheet metal, w = 18 inches wide, is bent to form the gutter shown in the illustration. If the cross-sectional area is 28 square inches, find the depth of the gutter.
 
 Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! A piece of sheet metal, w = 18 inches wide, is bent to form the gutter shown in the illustration. If the cross-sectional area is 28 square inches, find the depth of the gutter.
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 Assume the cross section of the gutter looks like this, horizontal portion is the width(w)
 :
 d|__|d
 :
 2d + w = 18
 w = (18-2d)
 and
 the area
 d * w = 28
 Replace w with (18-2d)
 d(18-2d) = 28
 -2d^2 + 18d - 28 = 0
 A quadratic equation, simplify, divide by -2, which also changes the signs
 d^2 - 9d + 14 = 0
 Factors to
 (d-2)(d-7) = 0
 Two solutions
 d = 2 inches, then the width = 18-2(2) = 14 inches is the width
 d = 7 inches, then the width = 18-2(7) = 4 inches is the width
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