SOLUTION: A Piece of wire of length 84cm is cut into two parts. Each part is then bent to form a square. It is found that the combined area of two squares is 281Sq.cm. Find the sides of the

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Question 552964: A Piece of wire of length 84cm is cut into two parts. Each part is then bent to form a square. It is found that the combined area of two squares is 281Sq.cm. Find the sides of the squares.
Answer by JBarnum(2146) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
damn this is a creative problem
first thing i would do is split the wire to where your 4 sides of that square have whole numbers
my first guess split is 60+24
60%2F4=15 since thers 4 sides you divide the peremeter by 4
15%2A15=225cm area is length times width
24%2F4=6 same procedure
6%2A6=36
225%2B36=261 add the to areas together
its not 281 but i was close lets try again
40+44
40/4=10
10*10=100
44/4=11
11*11=121
100+121=221
nope
.
68+16=84
68/4=17
17*17=289
nope already to high
.
64%2B20=84
64%2F4=16
16%2A16=256
20%2F4=5
5%2A5=25
256%2B25=281
woohoo got it