SOLUTION: "At school athletic events you can buy 3 drinks and 2 hotdogs for $5.25 or 1 drink and 1 hotdog for $2.25." How do I put this situation into a system of linear equations?

Algebra ->  Coordinate Systems and Linear Equations  -> Linear Equations and Systems Word Problems -> SOLUTION: "At school athletic events you can buy 3 drinks and 2 hotdogs for $5.25 or 1 drink and 1 hotdog for $2.25." How do I put this situation into a system of linear equations?      Log On


   

Question 1118145: "At school athletic events you can buy 3 drinks and 2 hotdogs for $5.25 or 1 drink and 1 hotdog for $2.25." How do I put this situation into a system of linear equations?
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, ikleyn:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39629) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
b, drinks ("beverage")
h, hot dogs
Directly from the description:
system%283b%2B2h=5.25%2Cb%2Bh=2.25%29

If you want to solve, elimination can be a good method.
system%283b%2B2h=5.25%2C2b%2B2h=4.5%29
That will give you b=0.75,....

Answer by ikleyn(52874) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
As your post is formulated, it is not completed.

The complete formulation must include a question. For example,



    "At school athletic events you can buy 3 drinks and 2 hotdogs for $5.25 or 1 drink and 1 hotdog for $2.25.

     Find the price of one drink and the price of one hotdog".



Now the problem formulation is completed, and I can answer your question.


Let x be the price of one drink and let y be the price of one hotdog.


Then the system of equation is THIS:

3*x + 2*y = 5.15
1*x + 1*y = 2.25.


The left side of each equation is the cost of the corresponding purchase.

If you have additional questions, do not hesitate to post them to the forum.

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There is a bunch of lessons in this site on solving word problems,
reducing them to systems of linear equations:
    - Oranges and grapefruits
    - Using systems of equations to solve problems on tickets
    - Three methods for solving standard (typical) problems on tickets
    - Using systems of equations to solve problems on shares
    - Using systems of equations to solve problems on investment
    - Two mechanics work on a car
    - The Robinson family and the Sanders family each used their sprinklers last summer
    - Roses and vilolets
    - Counting calories and grams of fat in combined food

Look into these lessons and learn how to reduce word problems to systems of equations.

And how to solve them . . .