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Mrs. Decesare ordered a total of 500 blue, yellow and white flowers for senior breakfast.
The white carnations cost 50 cents each. The blue carnations had to be hand-dyed,
so they cost $1.50 each. Yellow daises were only $1 a piece.
The total cost of the order was $475.
The number of yellow daises ordered was equal to the total number of carnations.
How many of each color flower were ordered?
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It can be solved using one single unknown and one single equation.
Let x be the number of white carnations.
From the problem, it is clear that the number of yellow daises is half of 500 flowers,
i.e. exactly 250 items, precisely as the total number of white and blue carnations.
So, the number of blue carnations is (250-x), and we can write the total money equation in the form
0.5x + 1.5*(250-x) + 1*250 = 475.
Simplify and find x
0.5x + 1.5*250 - 1.5x = 475 - 250
-x = 475 - 250 - 1.5*250
-x = -150
x = 150.
ANSWER. 150 white carnations; 250-150 = 100 blue carnations and 250 Yellow daises.
Solved.
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So, this problem does not requires knowledge on solving systems of linear equations, at all.