College Algebra 7th Edition

Published by Brooks Cole
ISBN 10: 1305115546
ISBN 13: 978-1-30511-554-5

Chapter 5, Systems of Equations and Inequalities - Section 5.4 - Systems of Nonlinear Equations - 5.4 Exercises - Page 466: 47

Answer

The length is $20$ and the width is $15$.

Work Step by Step

Let $x$ and $y$ be the length and width of the rectangle. We have the system $2x+2y=70$ $x^2+y^2=25^2$ Equivalently, $y=35-x$ $x^2+y^2-625=0$ Substituting the first equation to the second one, we have $x^2+(35-x)^2-625=0$ $x^2+x^2-70x+1225-625=0$ $2x^2-70x+600=0$ ($\div 2$) $x^2-35x+300=0$ $(x-20)(x-15)=0$ $x=20$ or $x=15$ If $x=20$, then $y=35-20=15$. If $x=15$, then $y=35-15=20$. So, the length is $20$ and the width is $15$.
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