Aretha has $0.85 in nickels and dimes. She has 2 more nickels than dimes. How many nickels and

Question

Aretha has $0.85 in nickels and dimes. She has 2 more nickels than dimes. How many nickels and
dimes does she have? Show the answer in an equation format.

Answer 1

This would be a system of equations question.

 

Aretha has $0.85 in nickels and dimes can be written as the equation

0.05n + 0.10d = 0.85 (where n = nickles and d = dimes)

 

She has 2 more nickels than dimes can be written as the equation 

d + 2 = n

 

then you can solve using substitution, elimination, or graphing. The easiest method would be substitution, since we already have the variable n isolated.

 

so if we substitute in d + 2 for n in the first equation,

 

0.05(d+2) + 0.10d = 0.85

0.05d + 0.1 + 0.10d = 0.85

0.15d + 0.1 = 0.85

0.15d = 0.75

d = 5

 

now substitute in d = 5 to find the number nickels! 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer 2

Let's say Aretha has x dimes

 

Then, she has (x + 2) nickels

 

.10x + .05(x + 2) = 0.85   which is the total amount of change that Aretha has

 

10x + 5(x + 2) = 85

 

10x + 5x + 10 = 85

 

15x + 10 = 85

 

15x = 75

 

x = 5

 

So, Aretha has 5 dimes and (x + 2) = 5 + 2 = 7 nickels