Question

instructions to make a dress say that the length of a piece of white fabric should be 39 inches less than the length of a piece of yellow fabric. how long is the white fabric if the yellow fabric is 44 inches long?

Explanation:

Step1: Define relationship between lengths

Let $L_w$ = length of white fabric, $L_y$ = length of yellow fabric.
$L_w = L_y - 39$

Step2: Substitute yellow fabric length

$L_y = 44$, so substitute into expression:
$L_w = 44 - 39$

Step3: Calculate the result

$L_w = 5$

Answer:

The white fabric is 5 inches long.

Labeling the diagram (from smallest to largest segment/box):

1. Smallest box: 39
2. Box connected to it: White
3. Next segment: Yellow
4. Largest box: 44
5. Final "?" box: 5