Question 167953
While finding the amount of seed needed to plant his three square wheat fields, Hank observed that the side of one field was 1 kilometer longer than the side of the smallest field and that the side of the largest field was 3 kilometers longer than the side of the smallest field. If the total area of the three fields is 38 square kilometers, then what is the area of each field? 
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Let side of smallest field be "x" km ; Smallest area = x^2 km^2
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Another field has side = "x+1" km ; area = (x+1)^2 km2
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Largest field has side = "x+3" km ; area = (x+3)^2 km^2
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EQUATION:
x^2 + (x+1)^2 + (x+3)^2 = 38
x^2 + x^2 +2x + 1 + x^2 + 6x + 9 = 38

3x^2 + 8x -28 = 0

(3x + 14)(x-2) = 0

x = -14/3 or x = 2
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Cheers,
Stan H.