The length of a bamboo pole is 5 m 2 cm long. Jade cut the bamboo pole into 3 pieces. The length of the first piece of the bamboo pole is 78 cm. The length of the second piece of the bamboo pole is 1 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
= 1 m
= 1 x 100
= 100 cm

Length of a bamboo pole
= 5 m 2 cm
= 5 x 100 + 2
= 502 cm

Length of the first piece = 78 cm
Length of the second piece = 1 u
Length of the third piece = 1 u + 100 cm

1 u + 1 u + 100 + 78 = 502
2 u + 178 = 502
2 u = 502 - 178 = 324
1 u = 324 ÷ 2 = 162 

Length of the third piece of bamboo pole
= 1 u + 100
= 162 + 100
= 262 cm

Answer(s): 262 cm