A 14-inch piece of wood is going to be cut so that one of the pieces is 4 inches shorter than the other. How long is the shorter piece?

Rationale

The shorter piece of wood is 5 inches long.

The problem can be solved by setting up the equation: x + (x - 4) = 14, where x represents the length of the shorter piece of wood. After combining like terms and solving for x, you get x = 5. Therefore, the shorter piece of wood is 5 inches long.

A (5 inches) CORRECT

The shorter piece is indeed 5 inches long. This was obtained by solving the equation x + (x - 4) = 14, which represents the total length of the wood (14 inches) being divided into two pieces, where one piece (x) is 4 inches shorter than the other.

B (9 inches) YOUR ANSWER

A 9-inch piece would not be 4 inches shorter than the other cut. If the shorter piece was 9 inches, the other piece would be 5 inches, making the shorter piece 4 inches longer, not shorter.

C (4 inches) YOUR ANSWER

A 4-inch piece would not meet the condition that one of the pieces is 4 inches shorter than the other. If one piece is 4 inches, the other piece would be 10 inches, making the shorter piece 6 inches shorter, not 4.

D (10 inches) YOUR ANSWER

A 10-inch piece would not be 4 inches shorter than the other cut. If one piece is 10 inches, the other piece would be 4 inches, making the shorter piece 6 inches longer, not shorter.

Conclusion

The correct answer to the problem is that the shorter piece of wood is 5 inches long. This answer was obtained by setting up and solving an equation that represents the conditions given in the problem. The other choices do not satisfy the condition that one piece is 4 inches shorter than the other.

A 14-inch piece of wood is going to be cut so that one of the pieces is 4 inches shorter than the other. How long is the shorter piece?

The shorter piece of wood is 5 inches long.

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