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A rectangle is 5 cm longer than it is wide. If the length and width are both increased by 3 cm, its area is increased by 60 cm2. How do you find the dimensions of the original rectangle?

User Spotman
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

To find the dimensions of the original rectangle, set up an equation using the given information. Solve the equation to find the width of the original rectangle.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the dimensions of the original rectangle, let's assume the width of the rectangle is x cm. The length of the rectangle is given as 5 cm longer than its width, so it would be (x + 5) cm.

If both the length and width are increased by 3 cm, the new dimensions would be (x + 5 + 3) cm and (x + 3) cm respectively.

According to the problem, the area of the new rectangle is increased by 60 cm2 compared to the original rectangle. So, we can set up the following equation:

(x + 5 + 3)(x + 3) - x(x + 5) = 60

Simplifying this equation gives us:

2x2 - 4x - 45 = 0

Solving this quadratic equation will give us the width of the original rectangle.

User Ksign
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