Q: The length of a rectangle is 4 cm longer than the width. If the rectangle’s area is 45 cm², what is the width?
Answer: 5 cm
Explanation: Call the width x. Then, the length is x+4.
Area of a rectangle = (length)(width).
45 = x(x+4)
45 = x² + 4x
0 = x² + 4x – 45
Now, factor:
0 = (x + 9)(x – 5)
x = -9 or x = 5
Since a length can’t be negative, discard x = -9. The only solution is x = 5. Since ‘x’ is what we called the width, it is the answer to the question. Just put the appropriate unit on it: 5 cm.
Highly Effective Headline!
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.