Question

The total length of two ships is 1841 feet. The difference in their lengths is 13 feet. Find the length of each ship.

Answer 1

9514 1404 393

Answer:

  927 ft

  914 ft

Step-by-step explanation:

The lengths are half the sum plus or minus half the difference:

  1841/2 ± 13/2 = {1854/2, 1828/2} = {927, 914} . . . feet

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Let x represent the shorter length. Then x+13 is the longer length. Their total is ..

  x +(x +13) = 1841

  2x = 1841 -13

  x = (1841 -13)/2 . . . . half the sum minus half the difference

Then the longer length is ...

  x+13 = (1841/2) -(13/2) +13

  x +13 = (1841/2) +(13/2) . . . . half the sum plus half the difference