Adam has a thread which is 210 cm long.
He cuts the thread into 3 pieces.
The first piece is 4 times as long as the second piece.
The third piece is 180 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 = 180 cm
Length of the second and the third pieces
= 210 - 180
= 30 cm
4 u + 1 u = 30
5 u = 30
1 u = 30 ÷ 5 = 6
Total length of the first and third pieces
= 4 u + 180
= 4 x 6 + 180
= 24 + 180
= 204 cm
(b)
Difference in length between the second and the third piece
= 180 - 6
= 174 cm
Answer(s): (a) 204 cm; (b) 174 cm