A square poster has sides measuring 2 feet less than the sides of a square sign. If the difference between their areas is 28 square feet, find the lengths of the sides of the poster and the sign.
Can someone just set me up with an equation to solve?

Question

A square poster has sides measuring 2 feet less than the sides of a square sign.  If the difference between their areas is 28 square feet, find the lengths of the sides of the poster and the sign.
Can someone just set me up with an equation to solve?

anonymous · Answer

Sure thing::

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The drawing is more for me than for you:

Area = (x-2)(x-2) and x^2

The x^2 is going to be bigger because each side is more so:

x^2-(x-2)(x-2) =28

anonymous · Answer

thank u but wat would be the next step if you could guide

anonymous · Answer

Well, next you want to factor that (x-2)(x-2) to get x^2-4x+4. Put that into your equation and solve for x.

anonymous · Answer

Am sorry am just so confused

anonymous · Answer

Okay: From the top:

Do you get my drawing? The part where the one side is x and the other is x-2?

And then do you know how to find the area of each?

anonymous · Answer

I understand the first part its just that first of all am not food with word probleams and second I  dont remember how to do are with x I only was thought with numbers so you must understand the major confusion and stuggle am having

anonymous · Answer

Do you get how I found my equation of:$$x ^{2}-(x-2)(x-2)=28?$$

anonymous · Answer

yes i do am just not sure if I am supost to -28 to get 0 on one side or if am just confusing my self

anonymous · Answer

Well, this problem actually works out nicely but first we need to factor that (x-2)(x-2).

(x-2)(x-2)=x^2-4x+4 \We can go over this? Yes/No?

So x^2-x^2+4x-4=28

Simplify that.

anonymous · Answer

Am ok with the equation its just the figuring out part that is confusing me because of the x

anonymous · Answer

We are trying to discover what x is. x is a variable, so in free space it can be any thing. But we have an equation for it:

x^2-x^2+4x-4=28

Solving that equation will give you x.

The x^2's cancel out and you get 4x-4=28

What is x?

anonymous · Answer

x=8

anonymous · Answer

?

anonymous · Answer

Yes. But don't forget, that is only have of the problem. You also need to know what the length of the side of the poster is.

anonymous · Answer

so do i plug in 8 in the equation to get the side of the poster

anonymous · Answer

What is your equation?

anonymous · Answer

thank u with ur help i got my answer