.
Steve has $2.05 in quarters and nickels. He has 13 coins altogether. How many coins of each kind does he have?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let "n" be the number of nickels Steve has in his collection.
Then the number of quarters is 13 - n.
The nickels contribute 5n cents to the total.
The quarters contribute 25*(13-n).
Altogether they make 5n + 25*(13-n) cents.
It is equal to 205 cents, according to the condition.
It gives you an equation
5n + 25*(13-n) = 205.
Simplify and solve it for n:
5n + 325 - 25n = 205.
-20n = 205 - 325,
-20n = -120,
n = = 6.
Answer. 6 nickels and 13-6 = 7 quarters.
For many other solved coin problems see the lessons
- Coin problems
- More Coin problems
- Solving coin problems without using equations
- Kevin and Randy Muise have a jar containing coins
- Typical coin problems from the archive
in this site.