SOLUTION: Need help, I cant remenber where to start and how to make the formula work. A piece of wire 83 centimeters long must be into 3 pieces. Two pieces will be the same length, and th

Question 98222: Need help, I cant remenber where to start and how to make the formula work.
A piece of wire 83 centimeters long must be into 3 pieces. Two pieces will be the same length, and the the third will be 7 centimeters less than twicw the others. Find the length of each wire.
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x=length of 1st segment (and length of second one since they are equal), and y=length of 3rd segment

Since the 3rd one is "7 centimeters less than twicw the others", then we have the equation

Now add up the segments to get 83

Start with the given equation

Combine like terms on the left side

Add 7 to both sides

Combine like terms on the right side

Divide both sides by 4 to isolate x

Reduce

--------------------------------------------------------------
Answer:
So our answer is (which is in decimal form)

So the first two segments are 22.5 cm

Now plug in to find the 3rd segment

Plug in

Evaluate

So the 3rd segment is 38 cm

Check:

Simply add the 3 segments to find the total length

Since the segments add to 83, our answer is verified.
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