SOLUTION: So im having a lot of trouble with this problem, i know what type of equation it SHOULD end up looking like but i cant even begin to figure out how to make it that way.... "A un

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Question 327020: So im having a lot of trouble with this problem, i know what type of equation it SHOULD end up looking like but i cant even begin to figure out how to make it that way....
"A university bookstore recently sold a wirebound graph-paper notebook for $2.50, and a college-ruled notebook for $2.30. At the start of spring semester, a combination of 50 of these notebooks were sold for a total of $118.60. How many of each type were sold?"
Answer by jvan(28) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Word problems! I use to feel the same way about them. I hope I can clear things up for you ^.^
Let x be the number of $2.50 notebooks sold. Let y be the number of $2.30 notebooks sold. There were a total of 50 notebooks sold, so . The second equation you need is a bit trickier. It's . This equation says that there are x notebooks sold for $2.50 and there are y notebooks sold for $2.30 and their total is $118.60. You can solve first equation for either x or y and then plug it into the second equation. I'll solve for y and get . Plugging this into the second equation makes become . Distributing 2.30 gives you . Combining the x terms and subtracting 115 from both sides gives you . Dividing 0.2 from both sides gives you . To find y, you can plug into or . It doesn't matter which one you choose, so you might as well choose the easier one! ^.^ Plugging into gives you . They sold 18 notebooks at $2.50 and 32 notebooks at $2.30! ^0^ If you need anymore help from me on this question or other ones, come by my website at http://myonlinetutor.webs.com! \(^o^)/ Thanks!!!