I need help with a substitution method for a test. I'm doing the work myself but I would really like someone to help as I'm stuck on one of the steps.

The area of a rectangular piece of land is 280 square meters. If the length of the land was 5 meters less and the width was 1 meter more, the shape of the land would be a square.

Part A: Write an equation to find the width (x) of the land. Show the steps of your work. (5 points)

Part B: What is the width of the land in meters? Show the steps of your work.

Part A: W= L – 6
***Assuming the land forms a perfect square.
L - 5 = W + 1

Part B:
L * W = 280
L – 6 = W
L * (L – 6) = 280

Now I'm stuck because I know at the end it's supposed to be L=20 and W=14. Please help! (and maybe explain?)

Question

I need help with a substitution method for a test. I'm doing the work myself but I would really like someone to help as I'm stuck on one of the steps.

The area of a rectangular piece of land is 280 square meters. If the length of the land was 5 meters less and the width was 1 meter more, the shape of the land would be a square.

Part A: Write an equation to find the width (x) of the land. Show the steps of your work. (5 points)

Part B: What is the width of the land in meters? Show the steps of your work.

Part A: W= L – 6
***Assuming the land forms a perfect square.
L - 5 = W + 1

Part B:
L * W = 280
L – 6 = W
L * (L – 6) = 280

Now I'm stuck because I know at the end it's supposed to be L=20 and W=14.  Please help! (and maybe explain?)

anonymous · Answer

Figured it out. Never mind. 

For those of you taking the test this came from. Try finding L instead of W and substitute it in.