Solving Word Problems (System of Equations)

Candy bars come in two sizes. Regular size sell for $0.79 and jumbo sell for $1.29. If Randy bought 20 candy bars that cost $23.80, how many of each did he purchase?

• 4 regular and 16 jumbo

• 16 regular and 4 jumbo

• 8 regular and 12 jumbo

• 12 regular and 8 jumbo

The difference of a and b is 3. The sum of the variables is 13. Find the numbers. For your answer, write the value of a followed by a comma and the value of b. Do not use spaces.

The Hillcrest High school band boosters are selling candy bars and chips at the basketball tournament to raise money for their band competition. The candy bars sell for $1.00 and the chips sell for $.50. They have 575 items ready to sell and expect to make $500 on the sale of all of the items. How many candy bars do they have ready to sell?

Mathematical Equivalence

ON

Last season two running backs on the Steelers football team rushed a combined total of 1550 yards. One rushed 4 times as many yards as the other. Let x and y represent the number of yards each individual player rushed. Which system of equations could be used?

• x + y = 1550
  y  = 4x

• x + y = 1550
  y = x + 4

• y - x = 1550
  y = 4x

• y = 1550 + x
  y = x + 4

Dennis mowed his next door neighbor’s lawn for a handful of dimes and nickels, 80 coins in all.  Upon completing the job he counted out the coins and it came to $6.60.  Which system of equations could be used to find the exact number of dimes and nickels? 

• d + n = 6.60
  .10d + .05n = 80

• d + n = 80
  d + n = 6.60

• d + n = 80
  .10d + .05n = 6.60

• d + n = 80
  .05d + .10n = 6.60

On Monday Joe bought 10 cups of coffee and 5 doughnuts for his office at the cost of $16.50.  It turns out that the doughnuts were more popular than the coffee.  On Tuesday he bought 5 cups of coffee and 10 doughnuts for a total of $14.25.  Which equations could be used to determine the cost of the coffee? 

• 10c + 5d = 14.25
  5c + 10d = 16.50

• 10c + 5d = 16.50
  5c + 10d = 14.25

• c + d = 10
  5c + 10d = 16.50

• c + d = 5
  5c + 10d = 16.50

Your family goes to a restaurant for dinner. There are 6 people in your family. Some order the chicken dinner for $14.80, and some order steak for $17. If the total bill was $91, which system best represents the situation? 

• x + y = 6
  14.80x + 17y = 91

• x + y = 91
  14.80x + 17y = 6

• x + y = 6
  14.80y + 17x = 91

• x + y = 91
  14.80x+ 17y = 6

Homer sells tickets for admission to your school play and collects a total of $104. Admission prices are $6 for adults and $4 for children. He sold 21 tickets total. Solve the system:
x + y = 21
6x + 4y = 104

• (10, 11)

• (12, 9)

• (11, 10)

• (9, 12)

David is running a concession stand at a soccer game. He sells nachos and sodas. Nachos cost $1.50 each and sodas cost $0.50 each. At the end of the game, David made a total of $78.50 and sold a total of 87 nachos and sodas combined. Which system of equations represents this situation?

• (35, 52)

• (18, 69)

• ( 52, 35) 

• (61, 26)

Nancy went to the grocery story.  On Monday she purchased 4 apples and 6 bananas for a total of $13.  On Wednesday she purchased 3 apples and 7 bananas for a total of $13.50.  Which system of equations represents the situation?

• 4x + 6y = 3
  13.5x - 13y = 6

• x + y = 4
  x - y = 6

• 4x + 6y = 13
  3x + 7y = 13.5

• 4x - 6y = 13
  3x - 7y = 13.5