Answer:
66/7
Step-by-step explanation:
There are three pieces. Lets call the 1st piece A, the 2nd B and the 3rd C. As all of them sum 38:
A + B + C = 36 (eq 1)
As the second is twice as long as the first:
2A = B (eq. 2) the first multiplied by 2 is equal to the second
As the third is three inches more than the length of four times the 1st:
C = 3 + 4A (eq. 3) The 3rd is equal to four times the first plus 3 inches
Now we can replace eqs. 2 and 3 in eq. 1:
A + B + C = A + 2A + 3 + 4A = 36
7A + 3 = 36
Subtracting 3 in both sides:
7A = 33
Dividing by 7:
A = 33/7
Now, we can replace A in the 2nd eq. to get B:
2A = B
2 * (33/7) = B
66/ 7 = B
We can verify the results by finding C:
C = 3 + 4A = 3 + 4(33/7) = 3 + 132/7 = 21/7 + 132/7 = 153/7
Then:
A+B+C = 33/7 + 66/7 + 153/7 = 252/7 = 36 --> Verifies!!
