A rectangle has length x + 5 and width x - 7.

Question

Write a polynomial expression, in standard form, that represents the area of the rectangle in terms of x.

Answer 1

The area of a rectangle is given by the formula A = length x width. Using the given values, we can express the area as:

A = (x + 5)(x - 7)

To simplify this expression, we can use FOIL (First, Outer, Inner, Last) method to expand the product:

A = x² - 7x + 5x - 35

Simplifying the like terms, we get:

A = x² - 2x - 35

Hence, the polynomial expression that represents the area of the rectangle in terms of x is x² - 2x - 35.