Answer: The school beautification committee bought 20 azaleas
Step-by-step explanation:
The school beautification committee bought crepe myrtles and azaleas to plant in front of the school.
Let x = total number of crepe myrtles that was bought by the school beautification committee.
Let y = total number of azaleas that was bought by the school beautification committee.
They bought 36 plants in all. This means
x + y = 36
Each azalea cost $5.00 and each crepe myrtle cost $8.00
This means total cost of azalea and crepe myrtles is 8x + 5y
They spent $228 for the plants. This means that
8x + 5y = 228 - - - - - - - - - 1
Put x = 36 - y in equation 1
It becomes
8(36-y) + 5y = 228
288 - 8y + 5y = 228
- 8y + 5y = 228 - 288
-3y = - 60
y = 60/3 = 20
x = 36 - y = 36 - 20
= 16
