SOLUTION: A 25-inch piece of string is to be cut in two pieces so that the longer piece is four times the shorter piece. Find the length of each piece. I want to know how to write and equ

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Question 232044: A 25-inch piece of string is to be cut in two pieces so that the longer piece is four times the shorter piece. Find the length of each piece.
I want to know how to write and equation for this type of problem so that it will be easier to solve. Please help. Thanks ♥
Answer by stanbon(57282) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A 25-inch piece of string is to be cut in two pieces so that the longer piece is four times the shorter piece. Find the length of each piece.
I want to know how to write and equation for this type of problem
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Let the shorter piece have length "x":
Then the longer piece will have length "4x".
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Equation:
x + 4x = 25
5x = 25
x = 5 (this is the length of the shorter piece)
4x = 20 (this is the length of the longer piece)
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Cheers,
Stan H.