Problema Solution
A 143 meter wire is cut into three pieces. The second is 3 meters longer than the first. The third is four-fifths as long as the first. How long is each piece?
Answer provided by our tutors
Let x, y, and z stand for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd pieces of the wire. We can write:
x+y+z=143
y=x+3
z=(4/5)x
Using Algebrator to solve for x, y, and z, we get:
x=50 m
y=53 m
z=40 m