It's obvious you meant $1.00 but left off the decimal. I changed it for you.
Eliminate n by multiplying the first equation through by -5
Adding these term by term:
The smallest absolute value of a coefficient is 4,
so write all integers in terms of their nearest multiple
of 4
Divide through by 4
Isolate fractional terms:
The right side is an integer, so let that integer be A,
set both sides equal to integer A:
Clear the first equation of fractions:
Solve the first equation for d
Substitute that for d in
Subsitutute and in
So now we have the numbers of coins in terms of integer A
10 dimes makes a dollar so there can't be as many as 10 dimes, since
we have to have 21 coins, so
Add 1 to all three sides:
Divide all three sides by 4
Since A is an integer then A is either 1 or 2, for
they are the only integers between and
So there will be two solutions,
If A = 1, then
So that's one solution 5 pennies, 13 nickels and 3 dimes.
If A = 2, then
So that's the other solution 10 pennies, 4 nickels and 7 dimes.
Edwin