SOLUTION: Hi, I'm having a hard time with this problem. Sarah is painting her dining room white and her living room blue. SHe spends a total of $132 on 5 cans of paint. The white

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Question 819046: Hi,
I'm having a hard time with this problem.
Sarah is painting her dining room white and her living room blue. SHe spends a total of $132 on 5 cans of paint. The white paint costs $24 per can and the blue paint costs $28 per can. How many cans of each kind of paint did Sarah buy?
I'm pretty sure the equation is 132=24x+28y but I need to identify the variable, and that would make two.
Thanks
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x = how many of white paint
y = how many of blue paint

Accounting for how many cans of paint, x+y=5 because given is 5 cans of paint.

Accounting for cost, 24x+28y=132.

You simply forgot to make use of the given 5 cans of paint.
Divide both sides of the cost equation by 4 before solving the system.