solving quadratic equations by factoring

[traceylsambrose]

I need your assistance - thank you in advance.
One side of a rectangular stage is 2 meters longer than the other (x+2m). if the diagonal is 10 meters, then what are the lengths of the sides?

Tracey

 

[Guest]

I need your assistance - thank you in advance.
One side of a rectangular stage is 2 meters longer than the other (x+2m). if the diagonal is 10 meters, then what are the lengths of the sides?

Tracey

The diagonal is 10m, so you know that:

\(\displaystyle \L x^2+(x+2)^2=10^2\)

which may be rearranged into:

\(\displaystyle \L 2x^2+4x-96=0\),

divide through by 2 to get:

\(\displaystyle \L x^2+2x-48=0\).

Its this last equation that you need to solve for the shorter side of the
stage. It has two roots one of which is negative, and so is unphysical so
that answer is the remaining positive root.

RonL