UPSC CSE Prelims 2019
The problem requires determining the total length of an original sheet of paper, which is divided into three pieces. The lengths of these pieces are defined as follows:
Let the length of the second piece be and the length of the third piece be .
Substitute the expression for into the equation for :
.
Now, calculate the length of the third piece:
The total length of the original sheet of paper is the sum of the lengths of the three pieces:
Therefore, the correct option is D.
Options A, B, and C are incorrect because they do not represent the sum of the calculated lengths of the three pieces of paper. The individual lengths are 5 units, 10 units, and 15 units, respectively. Any sum other than 30 units would be erroneous based on the problem's conditions and mathematical derivation.