The length of a rectangular flag is four yards longer than the width. The area f the flag is 140 square yards. Find the length and the width.

Answer 1

The width equals x, and the length equals 4+x. If the area is 140, then we should have gotten that by doing length times height. Set it up as (x)(4+x)=140. Distribute the x and you would get x^2+4x=140. Since its quadratic, it must be equal to zero. So, minus 140 from both sides and get x^2+4x-140=0. Use factoring or quadratic formula to solve for x. You should get 10 and -14, but use 10 since we usually only use the positive answers.