A garden measuring 12m by 16m is to gave a pedestrian pathway installed all around it. The pathway is the same width all the way around the garden. The pathway and the garden have a total area of 258m^2. What will be the width of the pathway? ( I know the answer is 1.5 I just don't know how to get that. Please explain as you go)

Question

Reiny · Accepted Answer

width of pathway = x m
width of whole thing = 12+2x m
length of whole thing = 16+2x

(12+2x)(16+2x) = 258
192 + 56x + 4x^2 = 258
2x^2 + 28x - 33 = 0
x = (-28 +- sqrt(1048))/4
= 1.093 or a negative

the path should be appr 1.09 m wide all around

check:
(12+ 2.18)(16+2.18)
= 14.18 x 18.18
= 257.79
close enough to our accuracy

The correct answer to the way you typed it is 1.093

Looking at the first Related Question below, I noticed that their area was 285 m^2
Did you transpose digits?
If so, just adjust my solution.

Lacy · Answer

Okay thank you so much!!!