My question was to long so it's down there.

Question

Two cell phone companies have different rates for text massage service. Company A has a $5 fee and charges $.10 per text. Company B has a $10 fee and charges $.05 per text. How many texts would you have to send for the total cost for each company would be the same?

Answer 1

Hi, Emily,

Question:  How man texts would you have to send for the total cost for each company to be the same (equal)?

 

1.  Underline or highlight key words and texts in the story problem and question.

 

2.  Company A and B can be represented by two separate sentences.

     Company A              .10t + $5=y

     company B               .05t + $10=y        Let y = total cost of company

 

**When the two equations equal each other, their total costs are equal.

3.  .10t+$5= .05t +$10  Think of the .10t as ten cents times t  and the .05t and five cents times t (per word).

                                              You are trying to solve for "t."

.10t-.05t +5=.05t-.05t +10       Subtract the smaller "t, " which is the five cents from both sides of the equation.

 

.05t +5-5= 10-5                         Subtract 5 from both sides of the equation.

 

    .05t= 5                                   Now, divide both sides by the number next to "t," and you are done.

 

I will let you finish.  I hope that I have helped out.  If I have, please give me a thumbs up.

                                                              Susan C.

Answer 2

Hi Emily,

 

You want to have equal cost for the two companies. Let X be the number of texts

 

Cost for A = Cost for B

 

$5 + $0.10X = $10 + $0.05X

 

0.10X - 0.05X = 10-5

 

0.05X = 5

 

X = 100 texts

Answer 3

Let x = # text messages.

 

The cost for company A can then be represented by A = 5 + .10x.

The cost for company B by B = 10 + .05x.

 

We want to understand when A = B, so:

 

10 + .05x = 5 + .10x

 

I shy away from working with decimals, so I would multiply both sides of the equation by 100 to "get rid of the decimals".

 

1000 + 5x = 500 + 10x

 

500 = 5x

 

x = 100.

 

So if 100 text messages are sent the cost for either company would be the same ($15).