ANSWER
First piece = 5 ft
Second piece = 10 ft
Third piece = 11 ft
Explanation
What to find? The length of the three pieces of board
Given parameters
The total length of the board = 26ft
Let the length of the first piece = x ft
The length of the second piece is 5ft longer than the first
Mathematically.
Second piece = (x + 5) ft
The third piece of the length is 1 ft longer than the second piece
Recall that, second piece = (x + 5)
Hence, the third piece = 2nd piece + 1ft
Third piece = (x + 5) ft + 1 ft
WRITE THE LENGTH IN TERMS OF X
• First piece = x ft
,
• Second piece = (x + 5) ft
,
• Third piece = (x + 5) + 1
The next thing is to write an equation to find x
Total length = first piece + second piece + third piece
Find the length of each piece
First piece = 5ft
Second piece = (x + 5) ft
x = 5
second piece = 5 + 5
Second piece = 10ft
Third piece = (x + 5) + 1
Third piece = ( 5 + 5) + 1
Third piece = 10 + 1
Third piece = 11 ft