The length of the rectangle is 5 cm less than four times its width. The area of the rectangle is 21 cm² . What is the width
of the rectangle?

29.5977692753

step-by-step explanation:

a 4/6 = 9/12   not proportional

step-by-step explanation:

to find which are not proportional, we can use cross products

if it is true, they are proportional.   if it is not true, they are not proportional.

a 4/6 = 9/12

4* 12 = 6*9

48 = 54

not this is not proportional  

b 2/3 = 12/18  

2* 18 = 3 * 12

36 = 36

this is proportional

c 5/4 = 10/8  

5*8 = 4*10

40 = 40

this is proportional

d 7/5 = 35/25

7*25 = 5 * 35

175 = 175

is proportional

we have three similar triangles, because each has a right angle and shares an angle.   let's write the angles in order: opposite to short leg, long leg, hypotenuse.

cab similar to bad similar to cbd

or as ratios,

ca: ab: cb = ba: ad: bd = cb: bd: cd

we also know

ac = ad + cd

(ad+cd): ab: cb = ba: ad: bd = cb: bd: cd

(ad+cd)/cb=cb/cd

we have cb=6, ad=5 and seek x=cd.

we reject the negative root and conclude x=4

answer: 4