A big beach towel has a width that is 3 feet less then it's length. If the towel's area 28 square feet, what is it's length?

Answer 1

L = length
w = L - 3

A = Lw
28 = L * (L - 3)
28 = L^2 - 3L
L^2 - 3L - 28 = 0

solve by completing the square
if you are right
L = -4, L = 7

since length can't be neg., throw out -4, so L = 7 and width = 4

Answer 2

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