Adam has a string which is 40 cm long.
He cuts the string into 3 pieces.
The first piece is 4 times as long as the second piece.
The third piece is 30 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 = 30 cm
Length of the second and the third pieces
= 40 - 30
= 10 cm
4 u + 1 u = 10
5 u = 10
1 u = 10 ÷ 5 = 2
Total length of the first and third pieces
= 4 u + 30
= 4 x 2 + 30
= 8 + 30
= 38 cm
(b)
Difference in length between the second and the third piece
= 30 - 2
= 28 cm
Answer(s): (a) 38 cm; (b) 28 cm