SOLUTION: The length of a rectangle is 1cm longer than its width. If the diagonal of the rectangle is 4cm, what are the dimensions of the rectangle?

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Question 94036: The length of a rectangle is 1cm longer than its width.
If the diagonal of the rectangle is 4cm, what are the dimensions of the rectangle?

Answer by Nate(3500) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
width = w
length = w + 1
A diagonal of a rectangle makes a right triangle...
a = w
b = w + 1
c = 4
a^2 + b^2 = c^2
w^2 + (w + 1)^2 = 4^2
w^2 + w^2 + 2w + 1 = 16
2w^2 + 2w - 15 = 0
Use quadratic formula, or whatever you know how, to solve:
2w^2 + 2w = 15
w^2 + w = 15/2
(w + 1/2)^2 = 15/2 + 1/4 = 30/4 + 1/4 = 31/4
w + 1/2 = +- sqrt(31)/2
w = [ -1 +- sqrt(31) ]/2
The length is positive:
w = [ -1 + sqrt(31) ]/2
l = [ -1 + sqrt(31) ]/2 + 1 = [ -1 + sqrt(31) ]/2 + 2/2 = [ 1 + sqrt(31) ]/2