I have no idea how to do this

Question

Bennett purchased some beef and some chicken for a family barbeque. The beef costs $5.70 per pound and the chicken cost $3.70 per pound. He bought a total of 18 lb of meat and spent $86.60. How much of each type of meat did he purchase?

 

Answer 1

Let the number of pounds of chicken be x and the number of pounds of beef be y

 

Since the total amount or sum of the meat bought is 18 lbs or first equation would be

 

x + y = 18

 

The second equation can be formed by using the details that beef costs 5.70 per pound and chicken costs 3.70

 

3.70x + 5.70y = 86.60

 

Now to solve these 2 equations you can use either elimination or substitution I'm using elimination

 

Multiply the first equation by -3.70

 

-3.70x - 3.70y = -66.60

 

Now add this to equation 2

 

2y = 20

 

y = 10

 

Now using the first equation

 

x = 18 - 10 = 8

 

Chicken purchased is 8 pounds and beef is 10 pounds