Elementary math

Question

A 38 foot length of wire is to be cut into 2 pieces, so that the longer piece is two feet longer than two times the shorter piece. Find the two lengths of each piece

Answer 1

Let the length of the first longer piece = x, then the length of the second piece = 38-x

Then based on the information given x = 2 + 2(38 - x)

Solving for x: x = 2 + 76 -2x or 3x = 78 or

x = 26 feet (longer piece)

38 - x = 12 feet (shorter piece)