Final answer:
The dimensions of the painting are 12 inches by 15 inches.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the dimensions of the painting, let's first let the width be x inches. According to the problem, the length is 1 1/4 times the width, which means it is (5/4)x inches. We can set up an equation to represent the area of the painting: (5/4)x * x = 180. Simplifying this equation, we have 5x^2/4 = 180. Multiplying both sides of the equation by 4/5, we get x^2 = 144. Taking the square root of both sides, we find that x = 12.
The width of the painting is 12 inches. To find the length, we can substitute this value into the equation: length = (5/4)(12) = 15 inches.
Therefore, the dimensions of the painting are 12 inches by 15 inches.