A length of tubing 75.0 inches long is cut into 2 unequal lengths. One piece is 3 times as long as the other. Determine the length of the shorter piece in inches.
Let x represent the length of the shorter piece.
The longer piece is 3*x.
Together, they add up to 75 inches.
x + 3*x = 75
4*x = 75
x = 75/4
x = <<18.75=18.75>>18.75 inches
The shorter piece is 18.75 inches. Answer: \boxed{18.75}.
To solve this problem, let's assume the length of the shorter piece is x inches. Since the other piece is 3 times as long as the shorter piece, the length of the longer piece is 3x inches.
According to the problem, the total length of the tubing is 75 inches. This can be expressed as:
x + 3x = 75
Now we can solve the equation for x to find the length of the shorter piece:
4x = 75
Divide both sides of the equation by 4:
x = 75 / 4
= 18.75
Therefore, the length of the shorter piece is approximately 18.75 inches.
Let's call the length of the shorter piece "x".
According to the problem, the other piece is 3 times as long as the shorter piece, so its length is 3x.
Together, these two lengths add up to 75 inches, so we can write the equation:
x + 3x = 75
Combining the like terms, we get:
4x = 75
To find the value of x, we need to isolate it on one side of the equation. We can do this by dividing both sides of the equation by 4:
x = 75/4
Evaluating the division, we find:
x = 18.75 inches
So, the length of the shorter piece of tubing is 18.75 inches.