Adam has a string which is 270 cm long.
He cuts the string into 3 pieces.
The first piece is 2 times as long as the second piece.
The third piece is 240 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 = 2 u
Length of third piece = 240 cm
Length of the second and the third pieces
= 270 - 240
= 30 cm
2 u + 1 u = 30
3 u = 30
1 u = 30 ÷ 3 = 10
Total length of the first and third pieces
= 2 u + 240
= 2 x 10 + 240
= 20 + 240
= 260 cm
(b)
Difference in length between the second and the third piece
= 240 - 10
= 230 cm
Answer(s): (a) 260 cm; (b) 230 cm