Please help!

Question

Ryan will rent a car for the weekend. He can choose one of two plans. The first plan has no initial fee but costs $0.70 per mile driven. The second plan has an initial fee of $50 and costs an additional $0.20 per mile driven. How many miles would Ryan need to drive for the two plans to cost the same?

Answer 1

Alright, Devin, I promise it's not too hard. If I get charged $2 per mile and drive 10 miles, I pay $20, right? 2 x 10 = 20.

 

Since we don't know the miles, we'll say x = the miles driven.

 

For the first plan, he is charged $.70x.

 

For the 2nd plan, there is a fee of $50 PLUS a $.20 charge for each mile ($.20x).  We always put the variable first, so that looks like $.20x + $50.

 

If both total charges are the same, then .70x = .20x + 50.

 

If you don't like decimals, multiply both sides by 100. 70x = 20x + 5000.

 

50x = 5000, so x = 100 miles.

 

Let's check. .70(100) = 70

 

.20(100) + 50 = 20 + 50 = 70

 

Bingo!

 

Hope this helps!