Question

Find the length of the diagonal of a rectangle whose length is 7 feet greater than its width and whose total area is 120 square feet.

Answer 1

let width be w then the length l = w + 7

Area = w(w + 7) = 120
w^2 + 7w - 120 = 0
w = 8 or -15 (ignore negative)

So w = 8 and l = 8+7 = 15

Length of the diagonal d is calculated using Pythagoras theorem:-


d^2 = 8^2 + 15^2 = 289

diagonal = sqrt 289 = 17 feet (answer)