Final answer:
To write an equation representing the statement, we use the given information and solve for the variable x to find the length of the bar soap Mrs. Abubakar kept for herself, which is 18 cm.
Step-by-step explanation:
To write an equation for the statement, let's assume that the length of the bar soap Mrs. Abubakar kept for herself is x cm. According to the problem, the piece she gave her friend is 4 cm less than twice the length she kept for herself, which can be written as (2x - 4) cm. Therefore, the equation representing the statement is 2x - 4 = 32.
To solve this equation and find the length of the bar soap Mrs. Abubakar kept for herself, we need to isolate the variable x. Adding 4 to both sides of the equation gives us 2x = 36. Then, dividing both sides by 2 gives us x = 18.