Question

Marie wants to buy fencing and sod for her new triangular flower bed. One of the legs of the garden is 7 ft longer than the other and the hypotenuse is 1 ft longer. If sod cost $12.72 per sqft and fencing cost $4.23 per ft. How much would it cost Marie to purchase enough sod and fencing?

Answer 1

let's suppose x is the shortest leg of the triangle

The perimeter of the flower bed is 3x+8 ft

the surface to be coverd by sod would be x×(x+7)/2 sqft

(x+8)(x+8)=(x+7)^2+x^2

x'2+16x+64=x'2+14x+49+x^2

x^2-2x=15

x×(x-2)=15

x=5

(15+8)×$4.23=$97.29 for fencing

32.5sqft×$12.72=$413.4 for the sod