Question

A store is having a sale on jelly beans and trail mix. For 3 pounds of jelly beans and 2 pounds of trail mix, the total cost is $14. For 5 pounds of jelly beans and 6 bounds of trail mix, the total cost is $28. Find the cost for each pound of jelly beans and each pound for trail mix.

Answer 1

3j+2t=14  subtract 2t from both sides

3j=14-2t  divide both sides by 3

j=(14-2t)/3

...

5j+6t=28, using j found above in this equation yields.

5(14-2t)/3+6t=28  perform indicated multiplication on left side

(70-10t+18t)/3=28  multiply both sides by 3

70-10t+18t=84  combine like terms on the left side

70+8t=84  subtract 70 from both sides

8t=14 divide both sides by 8

t=$1.75, and since j=(14-2t)/3

j=(14-2(1.75))/3

j=$3.50

So a pound of trail mix costs $1.75 and a pound of jelly beans costs $3.50.