Question

Maria and Katy each have a piece of string. When they put the two pieces of string together end to end, the total length is 84inches. Maria's string is 6 inches longer than Katy's. How long is Maria's piece of string? How long is Katy's piece of string

Answer 1

Answer: the length of Maria's piece of string is 45 inches.

the length of Katy's piece of string is 39 inches

Explanation:

Let x represent the length of Maria's piece of string.

Let y represent the length of Katy's piece of string.

When they put the two pieces of string together end to end, the total length is 84inches. This means that

x + y = 84 - - - - - - - - - - - -1

Maria's string is 6 inches longer than Katy's. This means that

x = y + 6

Substituting x = y + 6 into equation 1, it becomes

y + 6 + y = 84

2y + 6 = 84

2y = 84 - 6 = 78

y = 78/2 = 39

x = y + 6 = 39 + 6

x = 45