SOLUTION: The length of a rectangle is 5 meters less than twice the width. If the area of the rectangle is 375 square meters, find the dimensions.

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Question 548690: The length of a rectangle is 5 meters less than twice the width. If the area of the rectangle is 375 square meters, find the dimensions.
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A=LW

375=%282W-5%29W

375=W%282W-5%29

375=2W%5E2-5W

0=2W%5E2-5W-375

2W%5E2-5W-375=0


Now use the quadratic formula to solve


z+=+%28-b%2B-sqrt%28b%5E2-4ac%29%29%2F%282a%29

W+=+%28-%28-5%29%2B-sqrt%28%28-5%29%5E2-4%282%29%28-375%29%29%29%2F%282%282%29%29

W+=+%285%2B-sqrt%2825-%28-3000%29%29%29%2F%284%29

W+=+%285%2B-sqrt%283025%29%29%2F4

W+=+%285%2Bsqrt%283025%29%29%2F4 or W+=+%285-sqrt%283025%29%29%2F4

W+=+%285%2B55%29%2F4 or W+=+%285-55%29%2F4

W+=+60%2F4 or W+=+-50%2F4

W+=+15 or W+=+-12.5


So the width is 15 meters and the length is 2(15)-5 = 30-5 = 25 meters