Answer: 2 feet long
Explanation:
To solve this problem, we can use algebra. Let x be the length of the shorter piece of wood.
Since one piece is three times as long as the other, we know that the longer piece is 3x.
The total length of the wood is the sum of the length of the two pieces, so:
x + 3x = 8 feet
Combining like terms on the left side of the equation gives:
4x = 8
To find the value of x, we can divide both sides of the equation by 4:
x = 8/4
x = 2
So the shorter piece of wood is 2 feet long. This is choice D.