Let x be the length of the playground. With this representation, the width may be expressed as x + 5. The area of a rectangular figure is the product of its length and width.
A = L x W
A = (x)(x+5) = 234 yd²
Solving for the value of x in the equation gives an answer of x = 13 and x = -18. The second value of x is not applicable to the problem since a negative number cannot be a value for length. Below is the calculation of the dimensions.
Length = x = 13 yards
Width = x + 5 = 18 yards
Thus, the length and width of the playground are 13 and 18 yards, respectively.