A 120-foot-long rope is cut into 3 pieces. The
first piece of rope is twice as long as the second
piece of rope. The third piece of rope is three
times as long as the second piece of rope.
What is the length of the longest piece of rope?

How would this equation be solved?

Question

A 120-foot-long rope is cut into 3 pieces. The 
first piece of rope is twice as long as the second 
piece of rope. The third piece of rope is three 
times as long as the second piece of rope. 
What is the length of the longest piece of rope?

How would this equation be solved?

sburchette · Answer

Let x equal the length of the second rope. The first piece of rope is twice as long as the second piece, so its length is 2x.  The third piece of rope is three times as long as the second piece of rope, so it is 3x.  They all add up to 120 and the lengths are 2x, x, and 3x. Now you just set up the equation.$$2x+x+3x=120$$$$6x=120$$$$x=20$$It asks for the length of the longest piece of rope which will be 3x which is 60.

anonymous · Answer

The best way to solve this is to assume of the sections of the rope as an unknown variable. We will take the smallest section, which is the second piece of rope and name is 'Y'

The second piece of rope is Y
The first piece is twice as long and it become 2Y
The third piece is thrice as long as second piece and it becomes 3Y

All of these together become 120ft. 

-Y+2Y+3Y= 120
- 6Y = 120
- Y = 20

Longest piece of rope will be 60ft