Question

An electrician cuts a 136 foot long piece of cable. One piece is 16 feet less than 3 times the length of the other piece. Find the length of each piece

Answer 1

Answer:

98 ft  and   38 ft

Step-by-step explanation:

We know that the initial length of the piece is  136 feet

Then the piece is cut into two pieces.

Let's call x the length of the first piece  of cable and call z the length of the second piece of cable.

So we know that

$x + z = 136$

and

$x = 3z-16$

Now we substitute the second equation in the first one and solve for the variable z

$3z-16 + z = 136$

$4z-16= 136$

$4z= 136+16$

$z= \frac{152}{4}$

$z=38\ ft$

Now we find the length x

$x + 38 = 136$

$x= 136-38$

$x= 98\ ft$