Question

John needs to cut three strips of wood, 25.5 cm, 15.3 cm, and 9.25 cm long. He has a strip that is 72 cm long. How long will the leftover piece be after he cuts what he needs?

Answer 1

It would be 21.95, because you first have to add the length of the three strips of wood, and you get 50.05, and then you subtract that from the length of the wood that he needs to cut the three strips from.

Answer 2

Add the three strips of cut wood together:

$25.5 + 15.3 = 40.8$

$40.8 + 9.25 = 49 + 1.05 = 50.05$

John will need to cut a total of 50.05cm of wood.

Subtract this total from the strip John has:

$72 - 50.05 = 22 - .05 = \boxed{21.95}$

The leftover piece will be 21.95cm long.