The answer is b: -3/8, -3/16, 7/4
1st piece = x
2nd piece = x+2
3rd piece = x+2+3 = x+5
37 = x +x+2 + x+5 =
37 = 3x+7
30=3x
x = 30/3 = 10
1st piece = 10 inches
2nd piece = 10+2 = 12 inches
3rd piece = 10+5 = 15 inches
The sample size should be 250.
Our margin of error is 4%, or 0.04. We use the formula

To find the z-score:
Convert 98% to a decimal: 0.98
Subtract from 1: 1-0.98 = 0.02
Divide both sides by 2: 0.02/2 = 0.01
Subtract from 1: 1-0.01 = 0.99
Using a z-table (http://www.z-table.com) we see that this value has a z-score of approximately 2.33. Using this, our margin of error and our proportion, we have:

Divide both sides by 2.33:

Square both sides:

Multiply both sides by n:

Divide both sides to isolate n:
X = -5 is the answer I believe