Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
If we let f and r represent the costs of a fern and a rosebush, respectively, we can write equations that represent each of the purchases:
8f +r = 35 . . . . Matt's purchase
4f +3r = 25 . . . . Trey's purchase
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We can solve these equations using "elimination." We note that the coefficient of f in the second equation is half that in the first equation.
Subtracting the first equation from twice the second, we get ...
2(4f +3r) -(8f +r) = 2(25) -(35)
5r = 15 . . . . . simplify
r = 3 . . . . . . . divide by 5
Substituting into the first equation, we have ...
8f + 3 = 35
8f = 32 . . . . . . subtract 3
f = 4 . . . . . . . . divide by 8
The fern costs $4; the rosebush costs $3.
