Adam has a wire which is 400 cm long.
He cuts the wire into 3 pieces.
The first piece is 4 times as long as the second piece.
The third piece is 380 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 = 4 u
Length of third piece = 380 cm
Length of the second and the third pieces
= 400 - 380
= 20 cm
4 u + 1 u = 20
5 u = 20
1 u = 20 ÷ 5 = 4
Total length of the first and third pieces
= 4 u + 380
= 4 x 4 + 380
= 16 + 380
= 396 cm
(b)
Difference in length between the second and the third piece
= 380 - 4
= 376 cm
Answer(s): (a) 396 cm; (b) 376 cm