Find the length of the shorter piece

Question

A worker cuts a 57 feet beam into two pieces. He wants one piece to be 3 feet shorter than three times the length of the other piece. Find the length of shorter piece.

Answer 1

Suggestion: Use Algebra, after first letting p = length of 'other piece'.

Then first piece = 3p - 3.

Write an equation that sets the total lengths = 57, and solve for p (which is the 'shorter' piece).