Margo must buy______ tiles for the cost to be the same at both stores.

Question

Margo can purchase tile at a store for $0.89 per tile and rent a tile saw for $10. At another store she can borrow the tile saw for free if she buys tiles there for $1.09 per tile. How many tiles must she buy for the cost to be the same at both stores?

Answer 1

For the first option, we have the equation

y = 0.89x + 10, where 0.89 is the cost per tile and 10 is the cost renting the saw.

 

The equation for the 2nd option is

y = 1.09x

 

To solve for x, we can set the two equations equal to one another since they both equal y

 

0.89x+10=1.09x

10 = 0.2x

x = 50

 

Margo will need to purchase 50 tiles for the cost to be the same at both stores.