Question

word problem!! A parcel of land is 6ft longer than it is wide. Each diagonal from one corner to the opposite corner is 174 ft long. What are the dimensions of the parcel?

Answer 1

Draw a picture. That will help you figure out what to do.

Answer 2

thanks but how do I solve it?

Answer 3

It is 6 feet longer than it is wide, so you can write an expression for both the length and the width.

Answer 4

okay.... i did that... then what?:)

Answer 5

Use the Pythagorean theorem.

Answer 6

so... (w+6)^2+w^2=174^2??????

Answer 7

Exactly.

Answer 8

Solve for w.

Answer 9

okay i will tryyyy

Answer 10

You can do it! I have faith in you!!

Answer 11

i was trying to solve for w but i got stuck... will someone help me and walk me through it??

Answer 12

Stuck where? Show your steps and I will help you?

Answer 13

(w+6)^2+w^2=30276..... w^2+12w+36+w^2=30276......2w^2+12w+36=30267

Answer 14

and now im stuck

Answer 15

i was trying to use the quadratic formula but i wasnt sure what to do and my numbers were wayyyyyy big

Answer 16

Great job! Find a calculator, you are going to need it. :-)
The quadratic formula is what you will need. I'm still working through it. Before you get to that, get all terms to the left side of the equation and set it equal to 0.

Answer 17

The numbers do get big, but you can handle it, with your calculator's help.

Answer 18

when i do the quadratic inside the root is negative so how would i simplify it??? isnt the quadratic formula -b plus or minus the root of b^2-4ac all over 2a

Answer 19

It is not negative. You dropped a negative on the floor....look around, I'm sure it is still nearby. :-)

Answer 20

One you get all the terms to the left side, the constant term will be negative.

Answer 21

I divided the whole equation by 2 to keep the numbers smaller.
\(w^2+6w-15120\)

Answer 22

but when you put in -15120 it is negative in the root soo it wont workkk

Answer 23

the answer in the back of the book is 120 by 126

Answer 24

so still not sure how that works when what ever i root comes out to be a decimal

Answer 25

The answer in the back of the book is correct.
\[\dfrac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}\]
\[w^2+6w-15120\]
\[\dfrac{-6 \pm \sqrt{6^2-4(1)(-15120}}{2(1)}\]
remember that a negative times a negative is a positive.

Answer 26

wow thanks soooo mcuh!! you are AMAZZZZINNNGGG!!!!

Answer 27

Your Welcome!