Question

Three rectangular tables are placed end to end to form one long table 7.8 meters long. The lengths of two of the tables are 3.5 meters and 1.6 meters. What is the length of the third small table? What type of problem is this, and why? a part-whole problem, because 3.5 is a part of 1.6 a part-whole problem, because the length of the third table is part of the total length of the long table a comparison problem, because 7.8 is being compared to 3.5 a comparison problem, because the question asks how much longer one smaller table is than the other

Answer 1

It's a 3rd grade problem in addition and subtraction, or number lines. As a college-level problem, it might be described as ...

... a part-whole problem, because the length of the third table is part of the total length of the long table