19.5 inches
Let r represent the length of one of the sections of rope (in inches). Then the total length of the original rope is ...
... 8r +28.9 = 184.9
... 8r = 156 . . . . . . . . . . . . subtract 28.9; next, divide by 8
... 156/8 = r = 19.5
The length of each of the sections is 19.5 inches.