Answer:
The length of longer piece is 30 inches.
Step-by-step explanation:
Firstly, you have to make an expression in terms of x where x represents the length of the shorter piece . Given that the total length is 47 inches and the longer piece is 13 inches longer that the shorter one. Using this information, you can form an expression :
Shorter piece =>
x inches
Longer piece =>
(13 + x) inches
Total length =>
x + 13 + x = 47
2x + 13 = 47
now, you can solve to find the value of x by substracting 13 to both sides then divide it by 2:
2x + 13 - 13 = 47 - 13
2x = 34
2x ÷ 2 = 34 ÷ 2
x = 17 inches
We have found the shorter piece. The question wants to find the longer piece so you have to substitute the value of x into the expression of longer piece :
Let x be 17 inches,
13 + x = 13 + 17
= 30 inches
