In the description

Question

At an ice cream parlor, ice cream cones cost $1.10 and sundaes cost $2.35. One day, the receipts for a total of 172 cones and sundaes were $294.20. How many cones were sold?

Answer 1

Let x= number of ice cream cones

Let y = number of sundaes

 

we know:

1.10x+2.35y = 294.20 because it cost 1.10 for ice cream cones and it costs 2.35 for sundaes

x+y = 172 because thats how many cones were sold ===> this also can be modified to x=172-y

 

so plug in 172-y for the value in x in the first equation and solve

 

1.10(172-y)+2.35y = 294.20

 

189.2-1.10y+2.35y = 294.20

 

-1.10y+2.35y = 105

 

1.25y = 105

 

y=105/1.25 = 84

 

now use what we know for y which is sundaes to solve for x, the cones.

x+y=172

x+84= 172

x=88

 

you can check the top equation as you know both values to make sure you have the correct answer

 1.10x+2.35y = 294.20

1.10(88)+2.35(84) = 294.20

96.8+197.4 = 294.20

294.20= 294.20