SOLUTION: the fish has a head 9 inches long The tail is equal to the size of the head plus one-half the size of the body The body is the size of the head plus the tail how long is the fish?

Question 204235: the fish has a head 9 inches long The tail is equal to the size of the head plus one-half the size of the body The body is the size of the head plus the tail how long is the fish?
Found 3 solutions by ankor@dixie-net.com, hypatialeigh, ilivea9:
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
the fish has a head 9 inches long
The tail is equal to the size of the head plus one-half the size of the body
The body is the size of the head plus the tail
how long is the fish?
:
Let x = length of the fish:
:
length of fish = head + tail
x = 9 + (9+.5x)
x = 18 + .5x
x - .5x = 18
.5x = 18
x =
x = 36"
Answer by hypatialeigh(1)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If T is the length of the tail, and the body is B which is the head plus the tail, then B = T + 9.
Since the tail (T) is equal to the head plus one-half the body,
then T = H + B
substituting the known H value of 9 and the B equation 'value' above gives us: T = 9 + �(T + 9).
T = 9 + �(T + 9)
T = 9 + �T + 4�
T = �T + 13�
�T = 13�
T = 27
The tail is then 27 inches.
Since the body is the size of the head plus the tail, the body is 9 + 27 or 36 inches.
The entire fish, head + body + tail, is 9 + 36 + 27 to equal its length of 72 inches.
Answer by ilivea9(5)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Ankor failed to correctly algebraically define the word problem, and also failed to do correct math.

HypatiaLeigh is correct - Fish is 72" long.
Using the same solve/substitute methods, we got the same answer when instead first solving for Body (as opposed to Hypatia starting solve for tail first).

H = head length H = 9
T = tail length T = H + (1/2)B
B = body length B = H + T

Starting with B, substitute the values for H & T
B = 9 + 9 + (1/2)B
B = 18 + (1/2)B
(1/2)B = 18
2/1 x (1/2)B = 18 x 2/1
Body = 36 inches

Tail = H + (1/2)B
T = 9 + (1/2)36
T = 9 + 18
T = 27 inches

The total length = H + B + T
= 9 + 36 + 27
= 72 inches
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