SOLUTION: A farmer has a rectangular garden plot surrounded by 200 ft of fence. Find the length and width of the garden if its area is 1275 ft2.

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Question 704981: A farmer has a rectangular garden plot surrounded by 200 ft of fence. Find the length and width of the garden if its area is 1275 ft2.
Answer by josgarithmetic(39616) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Rectangle. Perimeter=200 ft. Area=1275 ft^2.
x, y, length, width.
System:
2(x+y)=200
xy=1275

x+y=100, divided perim. equation by 2.
y=100-x
substitute to get x(100-x)=1275
100x-x^2-1275=0

Solution to quadratic equation:
x=%281%2B%281-4%2A100%2A%28-1275%29%29%5E%281%2F2%29%29%2F%282%2A100%29
OR
x=%281-%281-4%2A100%2A%28-1275%29%29%5E%281%2F2%29%29%2F%282%2A100%29

One of those will work and one will not.