Adam has a rope which is 430 cm long.
He cuts the rope into 3 pieces.
The first piece is 3 times as long as the second piece.
The third piece is 390 cm long.
- Find the total length of the first and third pieces.
- Find the difference in length between the second and the third piece.
(a)
Focus on the sentence with the word '
times'.
Assign 1 u to the variable that is found after the word '
times'.
Length of second piece = 1 u
Length of first piece = 3 u
Length of third piece = 390 cm
Length of the second and the third pieces
= 430 - 390
= 40 cm
3 u + 1 u = 40
4 u = 40
1 u = 40 ÷ 4 = 10
Total length of the first and third pieces
= 3 u + 390
= 3 x 10 + 390
= 30 + 390
= 420 cm
(b)
Difference in length between the second and the third piece
= 390 - 10
= 380 cm
Answer(s): (a) 420 cm; (b) 380 cm