SOLUTION: A box contains 140 dimes and nickles. The total value is $11.5.How many dimes and nickels are there?

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Question 103692: A box contains 140 dimes and nickles. The total value is $11.5.How many dimes and nickels are there?
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x=# of dimes, y=# of nickels

So the word problem translates into this system:
"A box contains 140 dimes and nickles"
"The total value is $11.5"

Multiply the second equation by 100 to make every value a whole number


So now we get this system:






Solved by pluggable solver: Solving a linear system of equations by subsitution


Lets start with the given system of linear equations




Now in order to solve this system by using substitution, we need to solve (or isolate) one variable. I'm going to choose y.

Solve for y for the first equation

Subtract from both sides

Divide both sides by 1.


Which breaks down and reduces to



Now we've fully isolated y

Since y equals we can substitute the expression into y of the 2nd equation. This will eliminate y so we can solve for x.


Replace y with . Since this eliminates y, we can now solve for x.

Distribute 5 to

Multiply



Reduce any fractions

Subtract from both sides


Combine the terms on the right side



Now combine the terms on the left side.


Multiply both sides by . This will cancel out and isolate x

So when we multiply and (and simplify) we get



<---------------------------------One answer

Now that we know that , lets substitute that in for x to solve for y

Plug in into the 2nd equation

Multiply

Subtract from both sides

Combine the terms on the right side

Multiply both sides by . This will cancel out 5 on the left side.

Multiply the terms on the right side


Reduce


So this is the other answer


<---------------------------------Other answer


So our solution is

and

which can also look like

(,)

Notice if we graph the equations (if you need help with graphing, check out this solver)




we get


graph of (red) and (green) (hint: you may have to solve for y to graph these) intersecting at the blue circle.


and we can see that the two equations intersect at (,). This verifies our answer.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check:

Plug in (,) into the system of equations


Let and . Now plug those values into the equation

Plug in and


Multiply


Add


Reduce. Since this equation is true the solution works.


So the solution (,) satisfies



Let and . Now plug those values into the equation

Plug in and


Multiply


Add


Reduce. Since this equation is true the solution works.


So the solution (,) satisfies


Since the solution (,) satisfies the system of equations






this verifies our answer.






------------------------------------------------------------

Answer:

Since x=90 and y=50, this means that we have 90 dimes and 50 nickels

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