Question 1203103:  A customer bought 2 fruit cups and 3 sandwiches for US$ 19.
 
When she bought 6 fruit cups and 8 sandwiches her bill was US $54.
 
•	Write two equations to represent the information given above. 
•	Calculate the cost for ONE fruit cup. 
•	Hence, determine the cost per sandwich.
 
 
Your friend, Manuel, got this question on a take home assignment. Having solved the pair of equations, he believes that the cost per fruit cup is US$3 and the cost per sandwich is US $5.
 
a)	Write the pair of equations, clearly defining each variable used.  			[1 mark]
 
b)	Use a graphical method to tell whether Manuel is correct. You must clearly label the solution and explicitly state your position on Manuel’s answer. 				           [2 marks]
 
c)	Show Manuel an alternative approach on your College Algebra syllabus for solving pairs of simultaneous equations. You should name the method you will use and show full working.													[3 marks]
 
 
 Found 2 solutions by  math_tutor2020, josgarithmetic: Answer by math_tutor2020(3817)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website!  
Part (a)
 
 
x = cost of 1 fruit cup 
y = cost of 1 sandwich 
Each cost is in dollars.
 
 
2x = cost of 2 fruit cups 
3y = cost of 3 sandwiches 
2x+3y = cost of 2 fruit cups and 3 sandwiches 
2x+3y = 19
 
 
Through a similar thought process, the other equation would be 6x+8y = 54
 
 
The system of equations is 
2x+3y = 19 
6x+8y = 54
 
 
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Part (b)
 
 
Use GeoGebra, Desmos, TI83/84, or any graphing tool to plot the equations we found in the previous part. 
Another approach is to plot the equations by hand on a piece of graph paper.
 
 
2x+3y = 19 goes through the points (2,5) and (5,3) 
6x+8y = 54 goes through the points (1,6) and (5,3)
 
 
The two lines intersect at the point (5,3) 
It is the single solution to the system. 
This breaks down to x = 5 and y = 3
 
 
Therefore, 1 fruit cup costs $5 and 1 sandwich costs $3 
Manuel has the two values incorrectly swapped.
 
 
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Part (c)
 
 
We can use the elimination method as one approach.
 
 
Triple each side of the 1st equation 
2x+3y = 19 
3(2x+3y) = 3*19 
6x+9y = 57
 
 
This original system 
2x+3y = 19 
6x+8y = 54
 
 
is equivalent to this system 
6x+9y = 57 
6x+8y = 54
 
 
From here, subtract straight down. 
The x terms cancel out because 6x-6x = 0x = 0 
The y terms turn into 9y-8y = 1y = y 
The right-hand-sides become 57-54 = 3
 
 
Ultimately this boils down to y = 3.
 
 
Use this y value to find x. 
2x+3y = 19 
2x+3*3 = 19 
2x+9 = 19 
2x = 19-9 
2x = 10 
x = 10/2 
x = 5
 
 
Or we could pick on the other equation 
6x+8y = 54 
6x+8*3 = 54 
6x+24 = 54 
6x = 54-24 
6x = 30 
x = 30/6 
x = 5 
Either way, we have determined that x = 5
 
 
So that's how we can back up part (b) when we mentioned x = 5 and y = 3.
 
 
 
Check: 
Plug x = 5 and y = 3 into the 1st equation 
2y+3y = 19 
2*5+3*3 = 19 
10+9 = 19 
19 = 19 
Repeat for the other equation 
6x+8y = 54 
6*5+8*3 = 54 
30+24 = 54 
54 = 54 
Both equations are true for this pair of x,y values. The answer is fully confirmed. 
 
 Answer by josgarithmetic(39630)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! The first section:
 
 
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 A customer bought 2 fruit cups and 3 sandwiches for US$ 19. 
When she bought 6 fruit cups and 8 sandwiches her bill was US $54. 
• Write two equations to represent the information given above. 
• Calculate the cost for ONE fruit cup. 
• Hence, determine the cost per sandwich. 
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c fruit cup price 
w sandwich price
 
 
Description part gives this system: 
 
 
 
The next two bullet-points are straightforward. 
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