You can put this solution on YOUR website! Hakeem has $2.35 in nickels and quarters. He has 23 coins altogether. How many coins of each kind does he have?
Let the number of nickels be x
Then the number of quarters, using
ONE PART = TOTAL MINUS OTHER PART,
is 23-x.
Value Value
Type Number of of
of of EACH ALL
coin coins coin coins
-------------------------------------------
NICKELS x $0.05 $0.05x
QUARTERS 23-x $0.10 $0.10(23-x)
-------------------------------------------
TOTALS 23 ----- $2.35
The equation comes from the column on the right
0.05x + 0.25(23-x) = 2.35
Get rid of decimals by multiplying every term by 100
5x + 25(23-x) = 235
5x + 575 - 25x = 235
-20x + 575 = 235
-20x = -340
x = 17 = the number of nickels
The number of quarters is 23-x or 23-17 or 6 quarters.
Checking: 17 nickels is 17($0.05) = $0.85
and 6 quarters is 6($.25) = %1.50
Indeed that's 17+6 = 23 coins and $0.85+$1.50 = $2.35.
Edwin
