Question

Destiny and Guadalupe are shopping. Destiny buys 2 pairs of pants and 6 bracelets and pays $178.Guadalupe buys 3 pairs of pants and 2 bracelets and pays $155. Solve for the price of each item.

Answer 1

For the entirety of this problem, p will represent a pair of pants and b will represent a bracelet.

Step 1) Set up equations for Destiny and Guadalupe

Destiny: 178 = 2p + 6b

Guadalupe: 155 = 3p + 2b

I will be using substitution to solve this problem, but elimination can also be used.

Step 2) Solve Destiny's equation for p

178 = 2p + 6b

178 - 6b = 2p

89 - 3b = p

Step 3) Substitute the found value of p from Destiny's equation into Guadalupe's equation and solve for b

155 = 3(89 - 3b) + 2b

155 = 267 - 9b + 2b

155 = 267 - 7b

-7b = -112

b = 16

Step 4) Use the value of b found in step 3, plug that back into our equation from step 2 and solve for p

89 - 3(16) = p

89 - 48 = p

p = 41

one pair of pants = $16

one bracelet = $41

Hope this helps!! :)