document.write( "Question 252396: A discount store sold plastic cups for $3.50 each and ceramic cups for $4.OO each.If 400 cups were sold for a total of $1,458, how many cups of eacj type were sold? What was the dollar value of each type of cup sold? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #184266 by drk(1908) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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What we have here is the classic money problem. You will set up two equations with two unknowns. The first equation I call the \"value\" equation. It deals with the money. Don't use decimals or dollar signs.The second equation I call the \"number\" equation. It tells you total number of items. So, here they are:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"3.5P+%2B+4C+=+1458\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"P+%2B+C+=+400\"$
\n" ); document.write( "here I use P = plastic and C = ceramic.
\n" ); document.write( "step #1 - multiply the second equation by -4.
\n" ); document.write( " $\"3.5P+%2B+4C+=++1458\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"-4P+-++4C+=+-1600\"$
\n" ); document.write( "step #2 - You can see by adding down, we eliminate the C values.
\n" ); document.write( " $\"-0.5P+=+-144\"$
\n" ); document.write( "step #3 - Solving for P. we get P = 288. We can easily see that C = 112.
\n" ); document.write( "Now the total amount spent on plastic cups was 3.5(288) = $1,008, and the total amount spent on ceramic cups was 112(4) = $448. \n" ); document.write( "

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