# Math Help - Another Crazy word Problem

1. ## Another Crazy word Problem

A 12" board is cut into 3 pieces so that the 2nd piece is twice as long as the first piece and the third piece is 3 times as long as the first piece. If x represents the length of the first piece, find the length of all 3 pieces

2. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

What is your equation in x?

3. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

Sorry it's in x

4. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

Yes, what equation have you written down?

5. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

I haven't written an equation yet. I'm dyslexic so word problems are really hard for me

6. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

What are the lengths of the 3 pieces of wood, in terms of x?

12/3=4

8. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

Originally Posted by marukai47
12/3=4
That would be correct if all three pieces had equal length, but you have to take into account that second piece is 2 times longer then the first piece and third one is 3 times longer that the first one.

9. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

So confused.... Word problems suck

10. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

Originally Posted by marukai47
So confused.... Word problems suck
MarkFL2 started helping you since he hasn't been online for almost an hour, I hope it'll be okay if I try to help you too.

Since you know that sum of the lengths of all pieces is 12", and length of the second piece is 2x, and length of the third piece is 3x, x being the length of the first piece, you can write an equation $x+2x+3x=6x=12$, which means first piece + second piece + third piece is equal to total length (12"). Now you can try to solve this equation for x and you will get the length of the first piece and after that it will be easy to find the lengths of other pieces. I hope this helps.

11. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

solve(system(x+2*x+3*x=6*x),{x}) = true

12. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

Originally Posted by marukai47
solve(system(x+2*x+3*x=6*x),{x}) = true
Are you solving this with some software? if so, you should make it equal to 12, like: solve(system(x+2*x+3*x=12),{x}) or, solve(system(6*x=12),{x}).

13. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

solve(system(x+2*x+3*x=12),{x}) x=12

using Texas Instruments CAS software

14. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

How do I find the lengths?

15. ## Re: Another Crazy word Problem

$x+2x+3x=12$

Collect like terms on the left:

$6x=12$

Now, what should you do next? And please don't use software, you really need to do this by hand to learn how to solve equations.

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