Question 463567
"The length of a rectangle is 4 meters more than its width. If the area is 96 square meters, what are the length and width?"


x = width
x + 4 = length


Area of a rectangle is length x width


x(x + 4) = 96 {area is length x width}
x² + 4x = 96 {used distributive property}
x² + 4x - 96 = 0 {subtracted 96 from both sides}
(x + 12)(x - 8) = 0 {factored into two binomials}
x + 12 = 0 or x - 8 = 0 {set each factor equal to 0}
x = -12 or x = 8 {solved each equation for x}
x = 8 {width cannot be negative}
x + 4 = 12 {substituted 8, in for x, into x + 4}


width = 8 m and length = 12 m


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