Question

A rectangular parking lot has a length that is 9 yards greater than the width. The area of the parking lot is 360 square yards. Find the length and the width.

Answer 1

Answer: The width is 15 yards and the length is 24 yards

Explanation:

Let x represent the width of the parking lot in yards

Let the length of the parking lost be (x + 9) as the length is 9 yards greater than the width

So, area = width * length

i.e. 360 = x(x + 9)

360 = x2 + 9x

x2 + 9x - 360 = 0

x2 + 24x - 15x - 360 = 0

x(x + 24) - 15(x + 24) = 0

(x + 24)(x - 15) = 0

Either x = -24 or, x = 15

But as width can not be negative, so we can not have, x = -24

So, we have, x = 15

Therefore, (x + 9) = (15 + 9) = 24

So, we have the following answers.

Width : 15 yards

Length : 24 yards