document.write( "Question 1092193: \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "89 inch length of ribbon is to be cut into three pieces. The longest piece is to be 36 inches longer than the shortest​ piece, and the third piece is to be half the length of the longest piece. Find the length of each piece of ribbon.
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Algebra.Com's Answer #706759 by greenestamps(13200)\"\" \"About 
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I would take a good look at how the given information is presented before I decide how to define my variables. Since the problem says the third piece is half the length of the longest piece, I would let my x be the length of the third piece, so that the length of the longest piece is 2x. I could of course choose a different way to define my variable; however, even I make more careless mistakes when working with fractions than when working with whole numbers, so I try to avoid setting up the problem in a way that involves fractions. So

\n" ); document.write( "let x = length of third piece (inches)
\n" ); document.write( "then 2x = length of first piece
\n" ); document.write( "and then 2x-36 = length of the shortest piece

\n" ); document.write( "The total length of the three pieces is 89 inches, so

\n" ); document.write( "\"x+%2B+2x+%2B+2x-36+=+89\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"5x+=+125\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+25\"

\n" ); document.write( "The lengths of the three pieces are
\n" ); document.write( "x = 25
\n" ); document.write( "2x = 50
\n" ); document.write( "2x-36 = 14
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