Question 39820
Let x be the number of scrunchies and y be the number of barrettes.
So we change the English into algebra this way:
2x + 4y = 12.50
x + 6y = 12.25
If we double the second equation and subtract it from the first, we can eliminate the x's...
2x + 4y = 12.50
-(2x + 12y = 24.50)
and we have
-8y = -12
y = $1.50
and by plugging this into either of the original equations, we find
x = $3.25