Question

A 47-foot-long piece of pipe is to be cut into three pieces. The second piece is three times as long as the first piece, and the third piece is two feet more than five times the length of the first piece. What is the length of the longest piece?

Answer 1

A = first piece, b = second piece, c = third piece

a + b + c = 47
b = 3a
c = 5a + 2

a + (3a) + (5a + 2) = 47.....combine like terms
9a + 2 = 47
9a = 47 - 2
9a = 45
a = 45/9
a = 5 ft

b = 3a.....b = 3(5)....b = 15 ft
c = 5a + 2....c = 5(5) + 2.....c = 25 + 2....c = 27 ft

longest piece (c) = 27 ft