The area of a rectangle below is 170 square meters. what is the value of X

Question

Length= (x+4)n

width= (3x-1)m 

Area= 170

Answer 1

Area is length times width so

 

170 = (x + 4)(3x - 1)

To solve this quadratic equation, we need to put it in standard form ax² + bx + c = 0

 

Foil

 

170 = 3x² + 11x - 4

 

0 = 3x² + 11x - 174

 

Factor, use quadratic formula, complete the square, or graph to solve.

 

I factored as follows:

 

0 = 3x²  - 18x + 29x - 174

 

0 = (3x² - 18x) + (29x - 174)

 

0 = 3x(x - 6) + 29(x - 6)

 

0 = (3x + 29)(x - 6)

 

x = 6 or x = -29/3

 

-29/3 does not make sense in the context of this problem since it would give negative dimensions so we only consider x = 6