Your formula for this is [tex] 9^{2} =x(24+x)[/tex] and [tex]81=24x+ x^{2} [/tex]. Get everything on one side of the equals sign, set it equal to 0 and factor. When you do this you get (x-3)(x+27). The Zero Product Property rule tells us that either x-3 = 0 or x+27 = 0 and that x = 3 and -27. The only thing in math that will NEVER be negative besides time is distance/length, therefore, x cannot be 27 and has to be 3.