SOLUTION: the length of two pieces of wire are in the ratio 4:7.if the lenght of the longer piece is 3.5m, what is the length of the shorter piece?

Question 67549: the length of two pieces of wire are in the ratio 4:7.if the lenght of the longer piece is 3.5m, what is the length of the shorter piece?
Answer by ptaylor(2198) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x=length of the shorter piece:
Now we are basically told that 4 is to 7 as x is to 3.5m and this is written as follows:
4/7=x/3.5 Now we cross multiply: (x)(7)=(4)(3.5)
7x=12.5
x=1.786m

4/7=x/3.5 Now lets look at this another way: We'll multiply both sides by (7)(3.5), the LCM, to clear the fractions and we get:
4(3.5)(7/7)=x(7)(3.5/3.5)
12.5=7x-----------------------we get the same result

Hope this helps----ptaylor

RELATED QUESTIONS
A piece of wire was cut into 2 pieces in the ratio 4:7. The longer piece was 42 cm .... (answered by addingup)

A ribbon measuring (v+4) feet in length was cut into two pieces in the ratio 3:7. What... (answered by macston)

a 24 inch piano wire is cut in two pieces. The length of the longer piece is 4 inches... (answered by hula)

A wire 60 inches long is cut into two pieces whose lengths have a ratio of 3 to 1. To... (answered by josmiceli)

A piece of wire 112cm in length is cut into two pieces such that the ratio of the lengths (answered by Alan3354)

A rope is square root 250. Rope is cut In two pieces, so that the length of pieces are in (answered by Alan3354)

A rope is square root 250. Rope is cut In two pieces, so that the length of pieces are in (answered by MathLover1)

if 840 meters wire is cut in to 3 equal pieces. what would be the length of each... (answered by Alan3354)

A WIRE 10 IN. LONG IS CUT INTO TWO PIECES. THE TOTAL OF THREE TIMES THE LENGTH OF THE... (answered by padmameesala)