SOLUTION: I can not use algebra. I painted a picture that is 4 inches longer than it is wide. If I put a 1 inch frame around my picture, the area increases by 48 square inches. What are t

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Question 780636: I can not use algebra.
I painted a picture that is 4 inches longer than it is wide. If I put a 1 inch frame around my picture, the area increases by 48 square inches. What are the dimensions of my picture?

Answer by josgarithmetic(39625) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You said, "I can not use algebra."
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Do you mean, you have too much difficulty trying to use algebra? An analysis of the exercise can be shown and explained, and will use algebra.
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Do you mean, the use of algebra is not permitted for this exercise? That prohibition is unnacceptable; algebra is very well suited and is expected to this exercise.

Painted picture, w for width, y for length.
y=4%2Bw.
Area for just the picture is +highlight%28wy=w%284%2Bw%29%29

1 inche frame extends length and width to be now
width = w+1+1=highlight%28w%2B2%29
length = y+1+1=(4+w)+1+1=highlight%28w%2B6%29
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Think about those distance size changes very carefully before continuing. We add 2, not just 1. We extend that 1 inch in TWO opposite directions, so that the 1 inche distance frame-width goes all the way around the picture.

The extended area is %28w%2B2%29%28w%2B6%29

Given is that the area increases by 48 square inches. This means the difference between the two areas is 48 square inches.

highlight%28%28w%2B2%29%28w%2B6%29-w%284%2Bw%29=48%29
That appears to be a quadratic equation and just needs simplification. Some help in starting through that is,...
w%5E2%2B2w%2B6w%2B12-w%5E2-4w=48
In fact this will not remain as a quadratic equation, since w^2-w^2=0.
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8w-4w=48
4w=48
highlight%28w=12%29
and you can compute the y value yourself.