Answer :
Area = length x width
A= l x w
length is 6 ft longer than width, length = width + 6ft
Area = (w+6) x w
40 sq ft=w^2+ 6w
w^2 + 6w - 40 = 0
(w + 10) (w - 4) = 0
w = -10ft and/or 4ft
distance can't be negative, so 4ft is width, length is 10ft
A= l x w
length is 6 ft longer than width, length = width + 6ft
Area = (w+6) x w
40 sq ft=w^2+ 6w
w^2 + 6w - 40 = 0
(w + 10) (w - 4) = 0
w = -10ft and/or 4ft
distance can't be negative, so 4ft is width, length is 10ft
40 = l * w
l = w + 6
substitute (w + 6) in for l
40 = (w+6)*w
40 = w^2 + 6w
0 = w^2 + 6w - 40
0 = (w + 10) * (w - 4)
w + 10 = 0
w = -10
w - 4 = 0
w = 4
it does not make sense for the width to be negative, so 4 is the correct answer
now go back to one of the original equations, l = w + 6
l = w + 6
l = 4 + 6
l = 10
l = w + 6
substitute (w + 6) in for l
40 = (w+6)*w
40 = w^2 + 6w
0 = w^2 + 6w - 40
0 = (w + 10) * (w - 4)
w + 10 = 0
w = -10
w - 4 = 0
w = 4
it does not make sense for the width to be negative, so 4 is the correct answer
now go back to one of the original equations, l = w + 6
l = w + 6
l = 4 + 6
l = 10
