Answer:
Length = 6
Width = 5.5
Step-by-step explanation:
Let's use the variable x to represent the width:
x = width
The question says that the length of the rectangle is "5 ft less than double the width". This length can be represented like this:
2x - 5 = length
To find the area of a rectangle, you multiply the width and length, so we are going to write an equation where we multiply the width and length and set it equal to 33 ft^2, which is the area:
(x)(2x - 5) = 33
Now use basic algebra to solve for x:
2x^2 - 5x = 33
2x^2 - 5x - 33 = 0
2x^2 + 6x - 11x - 33 = 0
(2x^2 + 6x) + (-11x - 33) = 0
2x(x + 3) - 11(x + 3) = 0
(2x - 11) (x + 3) = 0
x = 11/2, -3
x either equals 11/2 or -3. However, remember that x represents the width, and you can't have a negative number for a width, so x = 11/2 or 5.5.
Now plug in 5.5 to the length expression and simplify:
2(5.5) - 5
11 - 5 = 6
The length is 6 and the width is 5.5.
Hope this helps (●'◡'●)
