A rectangular vegetable patch has a perimeter of 18 meters. Its area is 20 square meters. What are the dimensions of the vegetable patch?
Perimeter = 2 ( L + W)
18 = 2(L + W) divide through by 2
9 = L + W
9 - L = W
Area = L * W
20 = L (9 - L)
20 = 9L - L^2
L^2 - 9L + 20 = 0 factor
(L - 5) (L - 4) = 0
Set both factors to 0 and solve for L
L = 5 and L = 4
And these are the dimensions....5 x 4
