document.write( "Question 176076: Jasmine is deciding between two cell-phone plans. The first plan has a $50 sign-up fee and costs $20 per month. The second plan has a $30 sign-up fee and costs $25 per month. After how many months will the total costs be the same? What will the be? If Jasmine has to dign a one-year contract, which plan will be cheaper? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #131265 by EMStelley(208)\"\" \"About 
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First we need a variable to keep track of the number of months, let's call that m. Then for the first plan (50 for sign up and 20/month), the cost would be:
\n" ); document.write( "Cost = 50+20m
\n" ); document.write( "For the second plan (30 for sign up and 25/month), the cost would be:
\n" ); document.write( "Cost = 30+25m
\n" ); document.write( "To find out when they are the same, we just set them equal to each other:
\n" ); document.write( "50+20m = 30+25m
\n" ); document.write( "Subtract 20m from both sides:
\n" ); document.write( "50=30+5m
\n" ); document.write( "Subtract 30 from both sides:
\n" ); document.write( "20=5m
\n" ); document.write( "Divide both sides by 5:
\n" ); document.write( "4=m
\n" ); document.write( "So the plans will cost the same after 4 months. To know what that cost is, we just plug m=4 into either equation:
\n" ); document.write( "Cost = 50+20(4)=50+80=$130
\n" ); document.write( "To find out the cost of each after a year (12 months), we plug in m=12 into both.
\n" ); document.write( "50+20(12)=$290
\n" ); document.write( "30+25(12)=$330
\n" ); document.write( "So the first plan is cheaper for a one-year contract.
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