What is the basic plan charge they both pay?

Question

You have a cable plan that costs $39 a month for a basic plan plus one movie channel. Your friend has the same basic plan plan plus two movie channels for $45.50 . What is the basic plan charge that you both pay.

Answer 1

Bree,

First let's define some variables.

 

Let b = basic plan price

Let p = premium channel price

 

Now let's set up the equations:

You:

Total price = b + p

$39 = b + p

 

Friend:

Total price = b + 2p

$45.50 = b + 2p

 

Line them up:

 

b + p =   $39.00

b + 2p = $45.50

 

Subtract bottom from the top:

-p = -$6.50

p = $6.50

 

That part was easy, so now substitute value for p into one of the equations:

b + 6.50 = $39

b = $39 - $6.50

b = $32.50

 

Plug in both values into the equations to see if you come up with true statements:

$32.50 + $6.50 = $39.00

$39.00 = $39.00   ; true statement

 

$32.50 + 2($6.50) = $45.50

$32.50  + $13.00  = $45.50

$45.50 = $45.50  ;  true statement

 

The basic plan costs $32.50 per month