Intermediate Algebra for College Students (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-13417-894-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-13417-894-3

Chapter 5 - Review Exercises - Page 401: 102

Answer

$50$ yards, $120$ yards and $130$ yards.

Work Step by Step

The lengths of the legs are $2x+20$ and $x$. The length of the hypotenuse is $2x+30$. Apply the Pythagorean Theorem. $leg_1^2+leg_2^2=hypotenuse^2$ $\Rightarrow (2x+20)^2+x^2=(2x+30)^2$ Square $(2x+20)$ and $(2x+30)$. $\Rightarrow 4x^2+80x+400+x^2=4x^2+120x+900$ Subtract $4x^2+120x+900$ from both sides. $\Rightarrow 4x^2+80x+400+x^2-4x^2-120x-900=4x^2+120x+900-4x^2-120x-900$ Simplify. $\Rightarrow x^2-40x-500=0$ Rewrite the middle term $-40x$ as $-50x+10x$. $\Rightarrow x^2-50x+10x-500=0$ Group terms. $\Rightarrow (x^2-50x)+(10x-500)=0$ Factor each group. $\Rightarrow x(x-50)+10(x-50)=0$ Factor out $(x-50)$. $\Rightarrow (x-50)(x+10)=0$ Set each factor equal to zero. $x-50=0$ or $x+10=0$ Isolate $x$. $x=50$ or $x=-10$ Take the positive value because $x$ represents a dimension and it has to be positive. $x=50$ yards Length of the other sides are. $\Rightarrow 2x+20 = 2(50)+20=120$ yards. $\Rightarrow 2x+30 = 2(50)+30=130$ yards.
Update this answer!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this answer.

Update this answer

After you claim an answer you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.