Question 1097850
<br>Learning to solve problems like this using algebra is good training, which can be applied to more complicated problems as you learn more mathematical tools.  But it is also good brain exercise to solve a problem like this using logical reasoning.<br>
You know the area of the rectangle, 48, is length times width.  The answers are likely to be whole numbers, so what pairs of numbers are there that multiplied together give 48?<br>
1*48
2*24
3*16
4*12
6*8<br>
The problem says the length and width are (x+5) and (x-3).  The difference between those two expressions is 8.<br>
What pair of whole numbers with a product of 48 have a difference of 8?<br>
Problem solved...