Jack has a rectangular patio with a length that is one foot less than twice its width. His neighbor Ron's patio has the same width but a length that is 5 feet more than its width. If Jack's patio is 120 square feet and Ron's patio is 104 square feet, how many square feet longer is Jack's patio than Ron's?

difference in area = 16 ft²

if you use 8 the difference in length between Jack patio and his neighbor patio will be will be 15 - 13 = 2 ft

if you use 13 the difference i length will be 25 - 18 = 7 ft

Step-by-step explanation:

Jacks rectangular patio

width = a

length = 2a - 1

area = lw

where

l = length

w = width

area = 120 ft²

a(2a - 1)

2a² - a - 120 = 0

(a - 8) (2a + 15)

a = 8 or -15/2

Ron's rectangular patio

width = a

length = a + 5

area = lw

area = 104 ft²

a (a + 5) = 104

a² + 5a -104 = 0

(a + 8)  (a - 13)

a = -8 or 13

How many square feet longer is jack patio longer than Ron's patio is the difference in their area. Therefore,

120 - 104 = 16 ft²

The value 8 or 13 can be used for a since the width a have to be the same.

if you use 8 the difference in length between Jack patio and his neighbor patio will be will be 15 - 13 = 2 ft

if you use 13 the difference i length will be 25 - 18 = 7 ft