
Zen F. answered 10/05/20
Middle and High School Math Tutor
The length of a rectangle is 3 cm greater than its width. The area of the rectangle is 54 cm. What are the dimensions of the rectangle?
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Given that....
Area of Rectangle = Length of Rectangle x Width of Rectangle ....... A=L x W
.....we have...
54 cm = L x (L-3) or
54 = L2 - 3L ....L2 - 3L - 54 = 0,...BINOMIAL FACTORS.....(L+6) (L-9) = 0......L=9 OR L=-6
54 cm = (W+3) x W
54 = W2 + 3W.....W2 + 3W - 54 = 0...BINOMIAL FACTORS...(W-6) (W+9) = 0....W=6 OR W=-9
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Dimensions of a Rectangle are POSITIVE values.....and thus we use the POSITIVE values of the factors.....
L=9 and W=6
....these values also check....the Length (9) is 3 more than the width (6).