document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1103145>Question 1103145</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hi<BR>\n" );
document.write( "an iron bar is cut into 3 equal parts. One half of A , three eighths of B and one third of C had a mass of 58 kg. What was the original mass of the iron bar.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "thanks </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #717826 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=717826\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <font color=\"black\" face=\"times\" size=\"3\"><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Cut the bar into three parts: A, B, C<BR>\n" );
document.write( "They are equal parts (as given in the instructions), so A = B = C. So we can refer to B as A. The same applies for C as well.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Half of A, plus three-eights of B, plus one-third of C gives us<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(1/2)*A + (3/8)*B + (1/3)*C<BR>\n" );
document.write( "We can replace B with A. We can replace C with A<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(1/2)*A + (3/8)*A + (1/3)*A<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then combine like terms by adding fractions<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Don't forget to get the LCD first before adding the fractions (the denominators must be the same)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(1/2)*A + (3/8)*A + (1/3)*A<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(1/2+3/8+1/3)*A<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(12/24+9/24+8/24)*A<BR>\n" );
document.write( "((12+9+8)/24)*A<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(29/24)*A\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The expression (29/24)*A represents the mass of 58 kg, which is the other piece of given information. So we can set it equal to 58 and solve for A\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(29/24)*A = 58<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(24/29)*(29/24)*A = (24/29)*58  <font color=blue>Multiply both sides by the reciprocal of 29/24</font><BR>\n" );
document.write( "A = (24/29)*(58/1)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A = (24*58)/(29*1)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A = (24*29*2)/(29*1)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A = (24*2)/(1)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A = 48\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Mass A is 48 kg. So is mass B and C.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Therefore, the total mass is A+B+C = 48+48+48 = <font color=red>144 kilograms</font><BR>\n" );
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