Question

The area of a couple's rectangular living room is 40 sq meters. The length of the room is 3 meters more than the width. What is the width in meters?

Answer 1

the rectangular living room is calculated as length * width

The area is given to be equal to 40 sq. meters (area = 40 sq. meters)

Let the width = x meters

Length = X+3 meters

Area = Length * Width

40 = X * (X+3)

40 = X^2 + 3X

$x^2 + 3x -40 =0$

We solve this quadratic equation

$x^2 + 8x - 5x -40 =0$

$x*(x+8) -5 *(x+8) =0$

$(x+8) (x-5) =0$

So x = 5 or x= -8

Width  cannot be negative, so we reject x =-8

So x = 5 is the answer

Width of the room = 5 meters