Jared has a wooden board that is 11 ft long. He wants to cut it into two pieces so that the longer piece is 4 ft less than 4 times the length of the shorter piece.

How long will each piece of board be?

Shorter piece:____ft
Longer piece:____ft

Question

Jared has a wooden board that is 11 ft long. He wants to cut it into two pieces so that the longer piece is 4 ft less than 4 times the length of the shorter piece.
 
How long will each piece of board be?
 
Shorter piece:____ft
Longer piece:____ft

directrix · Answer

Let x and y represent the two pieces of board.

So, x + y + ?

anonymous · Answer

x+y=11

directrix · Answer

Now, for the second equation.

directrix · Answer

longer piece is 4 ft less than 4 times the length of the shorter piece

directrix · Answer

It does not matter what variable is coded and longer or shorter.

One of them is 4 times the other minus 4

directrix · Answer

If x is one of them, and y the other,  then the equation is:

x =

anonymous · Answer

x=4

directrix · Answer

Not that.

anonymous · Answer

what do you mean

directrix · Answer

longer piece is 4 ft less than 4 times the length of the shorter piece

 x = 4* ?    - 4

anonymous · Answer

x=4y-4

anonymous · Answer

corret?

anonymous · Answer

brb have to let dog in

directrix · Answer

x=4y-4 x+y=11 We are taking these to the wolf at http://www.wolframalpha.com/ Enter as this: x=4y-4, x+y=11

directrix · Answer

What did you get?

anonymous · Answer

x=8   y=3

directrix · Answer

That is what I got. Which option?

Close and post.

anonymous · Answer

shorter piece=8 

longer piece=3

directrix · Answer

Shorter piece:____ft

 Longer piece:____ft

Be sure to put the right number in the right slot

directrix · Answer

Look at this:

shorter piece=8 
longer piece=3

directrix · Answer

Is 8 shorter than 3?  Keep your focus.

anonymous · Answer

sorry shorter piece=3
longer piece=8

anonymous · Answer

thanks