the length of a rectangular garden is 5 feet longer than its width. The garden is surrounded by a 2-foot-wide-sidewalk. The sidewalk has an area of 76 square feet. Find the dimensions of the garden

3 answers

Let the width of the garden be x ft
then the length is x+5 ft.

area = x(x+5)

width of garden with sidewalk = x+4
length of garden with sidewalk = x+9

(x+4)(x+9) - x(x+5) = 76
solve, the x^2 will drop out
(X+4)(x+9)-x(x+5)=76
(x^2+9x+4x+36)-x(x+5)=76
x^2+13x+36-x^2-5x=76
X^2 will drop and we will combine the like terms(13x and -5x) and 36 will go to the other side
8x=76-36
8x=40
x=5

W=5ft
L=10ft since L=x+5
Area of living room with length being X+5 and width being 20