Answer: The length of the shortest piece is 16 inches
The length of the medium piece is
20 inches
The length of the longest piece is 25 inches.
Step-by-step explanation:
Total length of the party sandwich is 61 inches. This length is to be cut into three different pieces.
Let x= the size of the longest piece.
Let y = the size of the medium piece.
Let z = the size of the shortest piece.
The middle piece will be 4 inches longer than the shortest piece. This means that
y = z + 4 - - - - - - 1
The shortest piece will be 9 inches shorter than the longest piece. This means that
x = z +9 - - - - - - -2
Since total length of the party sandwich is 61 inches, it means that
x + y + z = 61 - - - - - - -3
We will substitute equation 1 and equation 2 into equation 3. It becomes
z + 9 + z + 4 + z = 61
13 + 3z = 61
3z = 61 - 13 = 48
z = 48/3 = 16
y = z + 4 = 16 + 4
y = 20
x = z + 9 = 16 + 9
x = 25
