Given: JK = 3x - 5, KL = 2x + 1
The sum of the segments JK and KL will equal the length of the segment JL = 16
So we can write:
3x - 5 + (2x + 1) = 16 [JK + KL = JL]
Collect terms, solve for x:
5x - 4 = 16
5x = 20
x = 4
JK = 3x - 5 = 3*4 - 5 = 12 - 5 = 7
Ans: 7
