Question

a contractor wants to use 34 feet of molding, cut into three pieces, to trim the sides and top of a garage door. The piece is 1.5 feet longer than three times the length of each shorter piece. Find the length of each piece?

Answer 1

l=long piece
s=short piece

l+2s=34
1.5+3s=l

Answer 2

Its a system of equations, do you know how to solve?

Answer 3

not really

Answer 4

Solve for l in one equation.
l+2s=34
l=-2s+34

since l=-2s+34 put that in the other equation where l is

1.5+3s=-2s+34

now solve for s

Answer 5

does s = 6.5?

Answer 6

Yep, now you know s so plug that into one of the original equations and solve for l.

l+2(6.5)=34

Answer 7

so, l = 21?

Answer 8

yep

Answer 9

thanks!!