Jack loves chips and salsa. It is always an item on his weekly shopping list. Two weeks ago, for Thanksgiving, Jack went to the store and purchased two bags of chips and three jars of salsa for $10.45

Question

This week he purchased one bag of chips and one jar of salsa for $4.10. Assuming the price of chips and salsa remains the same, determine how much Jack will have to pay when he buys 4 bags of chips and 4 jars of salsa for his Christmas party.

Answer 1

It turns out you do not even need to solve the

system, but BY SHEER LUCK !!!

C is the price of the chips and S is the price of the salsa.

4C + 4S = 4(C+S) = 4(4.10) <-- given: 1 bag of chips + 1 can of salsa costs $4.10

16.40

Nevertheless, the system is

2C + 3S = 10.45

C + S = 4.10

Substitution: S = 4.10 - C

2C + 3(4.10 - C) = 10.45

2C + 12.30 - 3C = 10.45

-C + 12.30 = 10.45

-C = -1.85

C=1.85 is the price of the chips...

1.85 + S = 4.10

S = 4.10 - 1.85 = 2.25 is the price of the salsa

So then 4C+4S = 4(1.85)+4(2.25) = 7.40 + 9 = 16.40