Question

The length of a vegetable garden is 6 feet longer than it’s width if the area of the garden is 55 square feet , find its dimensions.

Answer 1

Width is 5.

Length is 11.

Explanation:

Let the width be x.

x = width

The length is 6 feet longer.

x + 6 = length

Area is

length × width

Area is 55 (given)

55 = x(x+6)

Use distributive property.

55 = x^2 + 6x

Set equal to 0 and factor to solve. See image.

We have to toss out a solution that doesn't make sense. A measure of a side of a rectangle cannot be negative.

see image.