Answer:
length ≈ 5.583 ft
width ≈ 3.583 ft
Step-by-step explanation:
If we let x represent the length of the table in feet, then the width is (x-2). The area is ...
A = LW
20 = x(x -2)
Writing this in standard form gives ...
x^2 -2x -20 = 0
The coefficients used in the quadratic formula are a=1, b=-2, c=-20. The solutions are ...
[tex]x=\dfrac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}=\dfrac{-(-2)\pm\sqrt{(-2)^2-4(1)(-20)}}{2(1)}\\\\=\dfrac{2\pm\sqrt{4+80}}{2}=1\pm\sqrt{21}[/tex]
Of these values, the only one that makes sense is ...
length = 1+√21 ≈ 5.583 ft
width = length -2 ≈ 3.583 ft
