SOLUTION: 3 apples and 2 pears cost $0.61 altogether. 2 apples and 3 pears cost $0.59 altogether. How much does an apple cost?

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Question 1093105: 3 apples and 2 pears cost $0.61 altogether. 2 apples and 3 pears cost $0.59 altogether. How much does an apple cost?
Found 3 solutions by josgarithmetic, greenestamps, Pujankeshra95:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39621) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Prices each, a and p
for apple and pear

system%283a%2B2p=0.61%2C2a%2B3p=0.59%29
Solve the system any way you want.
(Note that 5a%2B5p=1.2 or a%2Bp=0.24. This might be helpful.)

Answer by greenestamps(13203) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

How about an informal solution using logical reasoning, without formal algebra....

Look at it this way. You pick out 3 apples and 2 pears, and you see the cost is going to be 61 cents. You put back 1 apple and take 1 more pear; now you have 2 apples and 3 pears, and now you see the cost is 59 cents.

So do that again (put back another apple and take another pear. Now you have 1 apple and 4 pears, and the cost is 57 cents. Do it once more; now you have only 5 pears, and the cost is 55 cents. So each pear costs 11 cents.

From there, there are many different ways -- formal and informal -- to determine that the cost of each apple is 13 cents.

Answer by Pujankeshra95(1) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
3x+2y=0.61. 2x+3y=0.59
2x+x=o.61-2y. (2x=0.59-3y) from the 2nd eqn
Therefore 0.59-3y+x=0.61-2y
X=0.61-0.59+3y-2y
X=0.02+y

Put the value of x=0.02+y in the 1st or 2nd equation
Find the value of y then replace the vaue of y in x=0.02+y