Question

QUESTION 2

Answer 1

One piece will be length x and the other piece will be 20 cm longer, so it will be x + 20 cm long.  

Added together the length of these two boards will equal 86 cm. So you can write an equation:  

x + (x + 20) = 86  

Remove the parentheses and add the two x's together to get:  

2x + 20 = 86

Subtract 20 from both sides:  

2x = 66  

Divide both sides by 2 and you have:  

x = 33  

The short piece is 33 cm and the other piece is 20 cm longer or 33 + 20 = 53 cm.