Length and width

Question

A plumber cut a 48-foot piece of pipe into two pieces. The length of the longer piece was twelve feet more than twice the length of the shorter piece. What was the length of each piece of pipe?

Answer 1

Hy Tiesha,

 

we can name the length of the longer piece as l and that of the shorter piece as s.

 

length of the longer piece = 2s + 12

 

 

 

Since the pipe is made up of both pieces We can come up with an expression for the total length of the pipe.

 

l + s  = 48

 

2s +12 + s = 48

 

 

3s = 36

 

s = 12

 

 

l = 48 - 12

 

= 36

 

The length of the longer pipe piece is 36 feet  and the shorter one is 12 ft.

 

 

Answer 2

One piece is p, the other is p + 12

 

p + p + 12 = 48

 

2p+ 12 = 48 so

 

2p = 36 so

 

p = 18 (that's the short piece)

 

p + 12 = 30 (that's the long one)

 

 

30 + 18 = 48 so you know you're right!