Systems of Equations by Word Problems

The school that Stefan goes to is selling tickets to a choral performance. On the first day of ticket sales the school sold 3 senior citizen tickets and 1 child ticket for a total of $38. The school took in $52 on the second day by selling 3 senior citizen tickets and 2 child tickets. Which equations represents the system that could be used?

• 1s + 3c = 38

  2s + 3c = 52

• 3s + 1c = 38

  3s + 2c = 52

• s + c = 38

  s + c = 52

• 3s + 3c = 38

  1s + 2c = 52

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

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

A boy has seven more nickels than quarters. The total value of the coins is $4.90. Which system could be used to find out how many nickels and quarters he has?

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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

There are 15 animals in a barn. These animals are horses and chickens. There are 44 legs in all. Which system of equations best represents the situation?

• h + c = 15

  4h + 2c = 44

• 4h + 2c= 15

  h + c = 44

• h = 2c + 44

  4h = c + 15

• 2h - 4c = 44

  h - c = 15

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 (all) the coins and it came to $6.60. Which system of equations could be used to find the exact number of dimes and nickels? (Hint: How much are the coins worth?)

• d + n = 6.60

  .10d + .05n = 80

• d + n = 80

  d + n = 6.60

• d + n = 80

  .10d + .05n = 6.60

Sarah enjoys cutting lawns and charges $20 for each small lawn and $30 for each large lawn she mows. Sarah earned $140 for mowing 6 lawns. Write a system of equations that could be used to find x, small lawns and y, large lawns Sarah mowed.

The drama club is selling tickets to its play. The cost of an adult ticket is $4.50, and the cost of a student ticket is $2.50. The theater can hold 250 people and they want to make $1,005. Write a system of equations that could be used to find x, the number of adult tickets and y, the number of student tickets.

The Spanish Club is selling tacos for a fundraiser. One student sold 12 chicken tacos and 15 beef tacos and raised $61.23. Another student raised $13.45 more than the first student by selling 10 chicken tacos and 22 beef tacos. Write a system of equations that could be used to find c, the price of chicken tacos and b, the price of beef tacos sold in the fundraiser.