A wire, 224 cm long, is cut into 3 pieces. The first is twice as long as the second. The third is one-half as long as the second. How long is the second piece?

First=2x

third=x/2

x+2x + (x/2) = 5x/2

7x/2=224

multiply by 2

(7x/2) * 2=224*2

5x=448

x=64

x=64 cm the second part

first part = 2x=64*z=128 cm

third part=x/2=64/2=32 cm

X = 1st piece, y = 2nd piece, z = 3rd piece

x + y + z = 224

x = 2y

z = 1/2y

2y + y + 1/2y = 224

3.5y = 224

y = 224/3.5

y = 64 cm< = = 2nd piece

x = 2y

x = 2 (64)

x = 128 cm ... 1st piece

z = 1/2y

z = 1/2 (64)

z = 64/2

z = 32 cm ... 3rd piece