Word problem answer?

Question

A room will be covered with carpeting. The length is 4 more feet than the width. The overall area is 320 square feet. Find the dimensions of the length and width. 

Answer 1

w = width

w + 4 = length

 

Area = l · w

 

320 = w(w + 4)

320 = w² + 4w 

0 = w² + 4w - 320

0 = (w + 20)(w - 16)

 

{ -20, 16 }

 

Width cannot be negative. So the width is 16 and the length is 20.