The length of a metallic rod is 5 m 4 cm long. Kylie cut the metallic rod into 3 pieces. The length of the first piece of the metallic rod is 32 cm. The length of the second piece of the metallic rod is 4 m shorter than the third piece. What is the length of the third piece of metallic rod?
1 m = 100 cm

Difference in the length between the second and the third piece
= 4 m
= 4 x 100
= 400 cm

Length of a metallic rod
= 5 m 4 cm
= 5 x 100 + 4
= 504 cm

Length of the first piece = 32 cm
Length of the second piece = 1 u
Length of the third piece = 1 u + 400 cm

1 u + 1 u + 400 + 32 = 504
2 u + 432 = 504
2 u = 504 - 432 = 72
1 u = 72 ÷ 2 = 36 

Length of the third piece of metallic rod
= 1 u + 400
= 36 + 400
= 436 cm

Answer(s): 436 cm