The length of a bamboo pole is 5 m 4 cm long. Pamela cut the bamboo pole into 3 pieces. The length of the first piece of the bamboo pole is 72 cm. The length of the second piece of the bamboo pole is 3 m shorter than the third piece. What is the length of the third piece of bamboo pole?
1 m = 100 cm

Difference in the length between the second and the third piece
= 3 m
= 3 x 100
= 300 cm

Length of a bamboo pole
= 5 m 4 cm
= 5 x 100 + 4
= 504 cm

Length of the first piece = 72 cm
Length of the second piece = 1 u
Length of the third piece = 1 u + 300 cm

1 u + 1 u + 300 + 72 = 504
2 u + 372 = 504
2 u = 504 - 372 = 132
1 u = 132 ÷ 2 = 66 

Length of the third piece of bamboo pole
= 1 u + 300
= 66 + 300
= 366 cm

Answer(s): 366 cm