Question 1153241

1. When it is assembled, a flute is 27 inches long. The middle piece is 5 inches longer than the first piece. The last piece is 2 inches less than two-thirds as long as the first piece. Find the length of each piece of the flute.    
 
                                       
 Having trouble with this question.  I have tried numerous ways to solve for the length of each piece and am coming up empty.  Thanks Mayra
<pre>Let length of 1st piece be F
Then length of middle piece = F + 5
Also, length of last piece = {{{2F/3 - 2}}}
We then get: {{{matrix(1,3, F + F + 5 + 2F/3 - 2, "=", 27)}}}
{{{matrix(1,3, 2F + 2F/3, "=", 24)}}} ------ Subtracting 3 from each side, after combining like-terms 
6F + 2F = 72 ----- Multiplying by LCD, 3
8F = 72
F, or length of 1st piece = {{{highlight_green(matrix(1,4, 72/8, "=", 9, inches))}}}
You should be able to find the lengths of the other 2 pieces now!