A 100-foot cable is cut into two pieces. The first piece is 18 feet longer than the second. How long is each piece of cable?

Answer 1

cable=x+(x+18)=100

2x+18=100

2x=82

x=41

x+18=59

Answer 2

Hi, Yaireliz.

To solve this problem, you want to write an expression for the length of piece of the cable. If you let x represent the length (in feet) of the shorter piece, then the length of the longer piece is 18 feet longer, so its length is x + 18.

Now you need to write an equation relating the two lengths. Since you know that the two pieces came from a 100-foot cable, the sum of their lengths must equal 100. So, you can write the equation x + (x + 18) = 100.

Finally, you need to solve the equation. Combine the two x's first to simplify the equation as 2x + 18 = 100. Subtract 18 from both sides to get 2x = 82. Divide both sides of the equation by 2 to get x = 41.

So, the shorter piece has a length of 41 feet, and the longer piece, which is 18 feet longer, must be 59 feet long. Check to see that the sum of the lengths equals 100 feet.

Doug