Problema Solution

A park recently opened. The dimensions of the park are a mystery, but the clues are : the diagonals of the rectangular park plus its longer sides together mesure 7 times longer than one of its shorter sides. The length of one diagonal is 250m longer than one of its shorter sides

Answer provided by our tutors

We will assume the park is rectangular and that we need to find the sides.

Let

S = the shorter side, S>=0

L = the longer side, L>=0

D = the diagonal of the park, D>=0

The diagonals of the rectangular park plus its longer sides together measure 7 times one of the shorter sides:

2D + 2L = 7S

The length of one diagonal is 250 m longer than one of the shorter sides means:

D = 250 + S

Finally, using the Pythagorean Theorem:

D^2 = L^2 + S^2

We have three equations with three unknown variables.

Plug D = 250 + S into 2D + 2L = 7S and solve for L:

2(250 + S) + 2L = 7S

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click here to see the equation solved for L

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L = (5/2)(S - 100)

Now plug D = 250 + S and L = (5/2)(S - 100) into D^2 = L^2 + S^2:

(250 + S)^2 = ((5/2)(S - 100))^2 + S^2

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click here to see the equation solved for S

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S = 280 m

L = (5/2)(280 - 100)

L = 450 m

The dimensions of the park are: the longer side is 450 m and the shorter side is 280 m.