Factoring Trinomials

Question

In the amusement park, there are a number of rectangular structures. In all cases, leave your answers in terms of x. a. The area of the ticket booth is x^2+5x-14. What are the possible dimensions? b. The area of the sandbox is 5x^2-37x+42. What are the possible dimensions?

Answer 1

The ticket booth: x²+ 5x - 14 = (x - 2)(x + 7).

The negative root is extraneous; one of the dimensions of the ticket booth is 2'.

 

The sandbox: 5x² -37x + 42 = (5x - 7)(x - 6).

The dimensions of the sandbox are 7/5 x 6.