Question

Kevin and Randy Muise have a jar containing 92 coins, all of which are either quarters or nickels. The total value of the coins in the jar is $13.60 How many of each type of coin do they have? The jar contains ____ quarters. The jar contains ____ nickels.

Answer 1

Let n = the number of nickles
Let q = the number of quarters
Then for your problem we have
(1) n + q = 43 and
(2) 5*n + 25*q = 100*6.95 (always work in cents to avoid decimal numbers) or
(3) 5*n + 25*q = 695
Now substitute n of (1) into (3) and get
(4) 5*(43 - q) + 25*q = 695 or
(5) 215 - 5*q + 25*q = 695 or
(6) 20*q = 695 - 215 or

(7) 20*q = 480 or
(8) q = 24
Then using (1) we get
(9) n + 24 = 43 or
(10) n = 19
Let's check these values.
Is (.05*19 + .25*24 = 6.95)?
Is (.95 + 6.00 = 6.95)?
Is (6.95 = 6.95)? Yes
Answer: Kevin and Randy have 19 nickles and 24 quarters in the jar.