A square garden plot has an area of 75 ft2. a. Find the length of each side in simplest radical form. b. Calculate the length of each side to the nearest tenth of a foot.

A square garden plot has an area of 75 ft2.

a. Find the length of each side in simplest radical form.

First, a square area (A) = length (l) ^2

A (ft2) = l^2 - - > so l (ft) = square root (sr) of A

l = srA = sr75

Next, factor out 75 into number with even roots: 25•3 = 75

So l = sr25•sr3 - - > l = 5•sr3 ft

5•sr3 is in the simplest radical form

b. Calculate the length of each side to the nearest tenth of a foot.

l = sr3 = 1.732 - - > so 5•1.732 = 8.66ft

Tenth is one place to the right of the decimal, so l = 8.7 ft