One acre is 43,560 square feet. If a square piece of land is 3 acres, then what are the length and width of this piece of land in feet? (Remember that the length and width of a square are the same). Explain your reasoning.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
Since 1 acre = 43,560 square feet,
3 acres = 3 × 43,560 = 130,680 square feet.
For a square piece of land, the area is equal to side × side, or side².
So, we need to find the square root of 130,680:Side length=130,680≈361.47 feet\text{Side length} = \sqrt{130,680} \approx 361.47 \text{ feet}Side length=130,680≈361.47 feet
Therefore, the length and width are each approximately 361.47 feet.
Explanation
To determine the dimensions of a square piece of land that covers 3 acres, we begin by understanding how many square feet are in an acre. One acre is defined as 43,560 square feet. Since the total land area in question is 3 acres, we multiply this by 3:3 acres×43,560 square feet per acre=130,680 square feet3 \text{ acres} \times 43,560 \text{ square feet per acre} = 130,680 \text{ square feet}3 acres×43,560 square feet per acre=130,680 square feet
This value represents the total area of the land in square feet. Next, since the land is described as a square, both the length and the width must be the same. The area of a square is calculated using the formula:Area=side×side=side2\text{Area} = \text{side} \times \text{side} = \text{side}^2Area=side×side=side2
To find the side of the square, we take the square root of the area:Side=130,680\text{Side} = \sqrt{130,680}Side=130,680
Using a calculator, we find:130,680≈361.47\sqrt{130,680} \approx 361.47130,680≈361.47
This tells us that each side of the square land is approximately 361.47 feet. Since a square has equal sides, both the length and width of the land are 361.47 feet.
In real-world applications, this calculation helps surveyors, real estate professionals, and landowners visualize and allocate space. Having equal sides also simplifies fencing, irrigation, or construction planning. Understanding the relationship between acres and square feet, along with how to use square roots to find dimensions, is essential in geometry and land measurement.
