Three pieces of wood are needed for project. They are to be cut from a 90cm long piece of wood. The longest piece is to be 3 times as long as the middle sized piece and the shortest piece is to be 10 cm shorter than the middle sized piece. Can this be done with 2 cuts? If so, tell how.

Answer 1

x-10 + x + 3x=90

x=20 cm, short= 10 cm, longest=60cm

Answer 2

A woodworking project requires three pieces of wood. The longest piece must be 3 times as long as the middle sized piece and the shortest piece must be 6 inches shorter than the middle sized piece. If the three pieces are cut from a single board that is 84 inches long, how long will the shortest piece be?