Solving Quadratic Word Problems: Finding the Dimensions of a Rectangle

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The discussion focuses on solving a quadratic word problem involving the dimensions of a rectangle with a specified area. The original rectangle has an area of 60 square millimeters, and when both the length and width are increased by 5 millimeters, the new area becomes 180 square millimeters. The dimensions of the original rectangle are definitively determined to be 4 mm for the width and 15 mm for the length, derived from the equation (x + 5)(y + 5) = 180.

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A rectangle has an area of 60 square millimetres. If the length and width were each increased by 5 millimetres, the area would be 180 square millimetres. Find the dimensions of the original rectangle.

Could someone please help me! I have tried everything.

The answers are 4mm and 15mm.
 
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Let the length be x mm, and the width be y mm. What can you say about x and y? What can you say about x+5 and y+5?
 
(x + 5) x (y + 5) = 180

Expanding,
xy + 5x + 5y + 25 = 180

The value of xy is given in the question. Plug in into the equation above. The rest should be easy.
 

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