Question

WILL MARK BRAINLIEST The width of a table is 2 feet less than the length. The area is 20 square feet. Find the dimensions. Show and
explain all work using mathematical concepts in this module.

Answer 1

Answer:

  length ≈ 5.583 ft

  width ≈ 3.583 ft

Step-by-step explanation:

If we let x represent the length of the table in feet, then the width is (x-2). The area is ...

  A = LW

  20 = x(x -2)

Writing this in standard form gives ...

  x^2 -2x -20 = 0

The coefficients used in the quadratic formula are a=1, b=-2, c=-20. The solutions are ...

  $x=\dfrac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}=\dfrac{-(-2)\pm\sqrt{(-2)^2-4(1)(-20)}}{2(1)}\\\\=\dfrac{2\pm\sqrt{4+80}}{2}=1\pm\sqrt{21}$

Of these values, the only one that makes sense is ...

  length = 1+√21 ≈ 5.583 ft

  width = length -2 ≈ 3.583 ft