Sam's plasma TV has a 14 in by 18 in screen with a plastic trim border. The total area of the TV and border is 480 in2. How wide is the trim around the TV?

Question

anonymous · Answer

$(14+x)\cdot(18+x)=480$, solve for $x$.

anonymous · Answer

the are of the tv is $$14\times 18=252$$
let x be the trim
252+x=480
x=480-252
x=225

anonymous · Answer

@babsarica That gives the area of the trim, but the question was asking for the width of the trim.

anonymous · Answer

sorry x=228 
then 252-228=24
therefore the trim is 24 in wide

anonymous · Answer

Not quite sure what you're doing there, but that's incorrect. The equation that I originally replied with is the correct method to solve the problem. Solving for $x$ gives you 6, which is the correct width of the trim.