SOLUTION: Question: A 12-inch chocolate bar is broken into two pieces. One piece is 3 inches longer than the other piece. Write an algebra equation that can be used to find the length of the

Question 869337: Question: A 12-inch chocolate bar is broken into two pieces. One piece is 3 inches longer than the other piece. Write an algebra equation that can be used to find the length of the shorter piece.
My attempt : I got y = (x+3)(3/12) I feel like I am wrong, I think I am addressing the larger piece than the smaller smaller piece but I do not know how to convert the equation so I would be addressing the shorter piece
Found 2 solutions by mananth, josgarithmetic:
Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
let the shorter piece be x
the longer one will be x+3
Add longer piece and shorter piece
x+(x+3)=12
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
y = length of short piece
x = length of long piece
w = length of whole original piece, w=12.
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Write every numeric statement that you can about this problem.
x=y+3, from description.
x+y=w, from description, sum of the pieces must be equal to the whole original.
The question asks for length of short piece, here chosen as variable, y. You have two equations and the unknown variables are x and y.

Solve the system for y; use substitution.

, the substitution

You were given that w=12, so you continue, ,
.
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