Answer
Shorter piece: 4 inches, Longer piece: 19 inches
Work Step by Step
The length of the longer piece, which is three more than four times the shorter piece, is written as the expression 3 + 4x. If the sum of the shorter piece and the longer piece equals 23, then the equation is written:
x + (3 + 4x) = 23
Solve for x:
5x + 3 = 23
5x = 20
x = 4
The shorter piece is x = 4 inches, and the longer piece is 3 + 4x = 3 + 4(4) = 19 inches.
