Your backyard is 10 feet longer than it is wide. It’s area is 4599 square feet. What is it’s width?

Question

The quest tells me to set up and solve a quadratic equation

Answer 1

w(w + 10) = 459

w² + 10w - 459 = 0

(w - 17)(w + 27) = 0

 

w - 17 = 0

w = 17 feet

 

w + 27 = 0

w = -27

Because we measure using positive numbers, we disregard this solution, although the length is 27 feet.