Question

A 10 ft board is to be cut into three pieces, two equal- length ones and the third 9 in shorter than each of the other two. If the cutting does not result in any length being lost, how long are the pieces?

Answer 1

Answer:

Let  x  represent one of the equal length sides making the third side which is  3  inches shorter than each of the other two equal to:

Third piece  =  x − 3 . Knowing that the whole board is  10  feet, in inches it is:

10  feet  ×  12  inches / 1  foot  =  120  inches

To find the length of the pieces, add them and equate it to the legth of the board in inches as shown below:

x  +  x  +  x  −  3  =  120  + 3

3 x /3  =  123 /3

x  =  41  inches

Third piece  =  x  −  3  =  

41  −  3  

=  38  inches

Step-by-step explanation: