Question

a rectangular parking lot that is 3 feet longer that is wide has an area of 550 square feet how many feet long is the parking lot?

Answer 1

The parking lot is 25 feet long and 22 feet wide

Explanation:

Let's say the rectangle is
`x` feet long. It means it has to be
`x+3` feet wide.

Knowing it's area we can write an equation for the unknown:

`x(x+3) = 550\\x^2+3x-550 = 0\\x= \frac12(-3\pm√(2209))\\x_1=-25: x_2=22`

Since we're talking about measures of length, the negative answer is obviously not interesting, so we're left with
`x=22`