A pole x metres long is broken into two parts. One part is 3 metres long and the other part is 2x-17 metres long. Find the original length of the pole?

Question

 

A pole x metres long is broken into two parts. One part is 3 metres long and the other part is 2x-17 metres long. Find the original length of the pole?

Answer 1

total length(T) = piece 1(p1) plus piece 2(p2) T=x p1=3 and p2= 2x-17

 

The equation becomes x = 3 + 2x -17, 3-17=-14  

Therefore the equation becomes x = 2x -14

add 14 to both sides then the equation is x + 14 = 2x

subtract x from both sides the equation becomes x = 14

The poles is 14 meters long

 

as a check the original equation is 14 = 3 + 2(14) -17  

14= 3 + 28 -17 = 3+11 = 14

Answer 2

The two parts that the pole is broken into is equal to the total length of the pole. This means that

3+(2x-17)=x.

Using this equation you can solve for x and get the length of the pole. 

First we rewrite the right side to be 3+(2x-17)=2x-14=x

Then we collect are x terms on the left side of the equal sign, and the numbers on the right.

Giving us 2x-x=+14.

This give us the final answer for x.