The length of a rectangle is 4ft less than its width. The area of the rectangle is 60ft^2. Find the length and the width of the rectangle.

Answer: The length is 6 feet and the width is 10 feet.

Step-by-step explanation: The question has specified the area as 60 (square feet) and the length and width are yet unknown. However we know that the length is 4 feet less than the width. What this means is that, if the width is W, then the length is W - 4.

We can now write an equation for the area of the rectangle as follows;

Area = L x W

60 = (W - 4) x W

60 = W^2 - 4W

If we rearrange all terms on one side of the equation, we now have

W^2 - 4W - 60 = 0

This is a quadratic equation and by factorizing, we now have

(W + 6) (W - 10) = 0

Hence,

Either W + 6 = 0 and then W = - 6

Or W - 10 = 0 and then W = 10

We know that the side of the rectangle cannot be a negative value, so we go with W = 10.

Having calculated W as 10, the length now becomes

L = W - 4

L = 10 - 4

L = 6

Therefore, length = 6 feet and width = 10 feet