What is the cost of each item?

Question

The cost of 3 markers and two pencils is $1.80. The cost of 4 markers and 6 pencils is $2.90.

Answer 1

Let x = the number of markers bought

 

y = the number of pencils bought

 

We have two equations

 

3x + 2y = 1.80

 

4x + 6y = 2.90

 

If we multiply the top equation by 3, we can use the Elimination Method to solve this system of equations

 

9x + 6y = 5.40

 

4x + 6y = 2.90

 

Now subtract the two above equations to obtain

 

5x = 2.50

 

x = 0.50, so the cost of a marker is 50 cents

 

You can plug this value of x into either of our two original equations in order to obtain y, which is the cost of a single pencil