Question

Mrs. Kelly creates a garden. She buys 15 flowers and 3 bushes for a total cost of $160.32. Each bush costs $11.50 more than each flower. How much does each bush cost?

Answer 1

The cost of each bush is $ 18.49

Solution:

Let "f" be the cost of each flower

Let "b" be the cost of each bush

Given that Mrs. Kelly buys 15 flowers and 3 bushes for a total cost of $160.32

15 flowers x cost of each flower + 3 bushes x cost of each bush = 160.32

$15 \times f + 3 \times b = 160.32$

15f + 3b = 160.32  ----- eqn 1

Each bush costs $11.50 more than each flower

Cost of each bush = 11.50 + cost of each flower

b = 11.50 + f  ------ eqn 2

Let us solve eqn 1 and eqn 2 to find values of "b" and "f"

Substitute eqn 2 in eqn 1

15f + 3(11.50 + f) = 160.32

15f + 34.5 + 3f = 160.32

18f = 160.32 - 34.5

18f = 125.82

f = 6.99

Substitute f = 6.99 in eqn 2

b = 11.50 + 6.99 = 18.49

b = 18.49

Thus the cost of each bush is $ 18.49