L + L + 5 + 2L =36...........................(1)
L + L + 5 + 2[L + 5]=36....................(2)
From (1) above:
L =31/4 =7.75 - inches - the shortest piece
7.75 + 5 =12.75 - inches-the 2nd longest piece.
7.75 x 2 =15.5 - inches -the longest piece.
From (2) above:
L =21/4 =5.25 - inches - the shortest piece
5.25 + 5=10.25 - inches - the 2nd longest piece
10.25 x 2=20.50 - inches- the longest piece
15.50 + 20.50 =36 - inches - the sum of the longest pieces.
+6248 what is your reason for farming all the methods to solving these questions?
+6248 actively collecting, as if you intend on publishing some sort of study guide to these problems.
+936 Oh, no. These are just questions that I don't have the solutions to and I can't figure out how to do them. I have attempted them already, but I keep getting the wrong answer. It's not like I'm cheating or something. I just need some help.
+4609 Case 1: 1st rope: x, 2nd rope: x+5, and the third rope 2x.
So, 4x+5=36, 4x=31, x=7.75 and 7.75*2=15.5 inches
Case 2: 1st rope: x, 2nd rope: x+5, and the third rope 2x+10.
So, 4x+15=36, 4x=21, x=21/4=5.35, and 2(10.25)=20.5 inches.
Case 3: x, 2x, 2x+5, and we have 5x+5=36, 5x=41, x=8.2 and 2(8.2)=16.4+5=21.4.
Case 4 There are other cases, maybe 2x, 4x, 4x+5 gives 10x+5=36, x=3.1 and 4(3.1)+5=17.4
This is 74.8 and there is another 16?
How about 2x, 2x+5, and 4x. 15.5?
+118608 Got it 
The longest peice could be 15.5, 20.5, 17.4, 16.4, or 21 added together this is exactly 90.8 inches
So there are 5 different possibilies on how the rope is cut. (only lenghths are important, not the order thay are cut in)
Rather than spoil everyone's fun I will let you individually work out what these 5 double cuts are.
Hint: Let one peice be a and another a+5. You have to work out the other one. (5 possibilities.)
+936 Let me see if I can figure out the possibilities:
I tried 4-7, but the results come out to be the same as 1-3. What are the other cases?
Can anyone solve this? Answer: 90.8
