SOLUTION: A pipe that is 325 ft. long is cut into three pieces. The first piece is one foot shorter that twice the second, and the third piece is four times as long as the other two pieces

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Question 162821: A pipe that is 325 ft. long is cut into three pieces. The first piece is one foot shorter that twice the second, and the third piece is four times as long as the other two pieces combined. How long are each of the pieces?
What I did:
x-1+x+4(x-1+x)=325
2x-1+4x-4+4x=325
10x-5=325
+5 +5
10x=330
/10 /10
x=33
1st piece: 32
2nd piece: 33
3rd piece: 263
Total: 328 off by 3
What did I do wrong?
Answer by jojo14344(1513) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Well, i think there was a misrepresentation you did on the pipes. Let's see oks,
1stPipe=2x-1, 1 foot shorter than twice the 2nd
2nd+Pipe=x, unknown
3rdPipe=4%282x-1%2Bx%29, 4 times 1st & 2nd Pipe combined
TotalFeet=325
Putting into eqn,
2x-1%2B4%282x-1%2Bx%29=325
2x-1%2B8x-4%2B4x=325, combine similar terms
15x=325%2B1%2B4=330
cross%2815%29x%2Fcross%2815%29-cross%28330%2922%2Fcross%2815%29, divide 15 to isolate "x"
x=22feet ----------------------------------> 2nd Pipe
2%2822%29-1=44-1=43feet -----------------------> 1st Pipe
4%2822%2B43%29=4%2865%29=260feet --------------------> 3rd Pipe
Check,
325=22%2B43%2B260
325ft=325ft
thank you,
Jojo