Question

Maureen cut a 20 cm ribbon into exactly three pieces. The first piece is 3 cm shorter than the second piece. The third piece is 4 cm shorter than the second piece. Find the length of the shortest piece

Answer 1

let x be the 1st piece

x - 3 is the 2nd piece

(x -3) - 4 or x - 7 is the 3rd piece

so

20 = x + x - 3 + x - 7

or

20 = 3x - 10

now just solve for x, to find the 1st piece...and then the other 2

hope it helps