Question

jason went to the post office and bought both 41 cent stamps and 26 cent postcards and spent $20.28. The number of stamps was 4 more than twice the number of post cards. How many of each did he buy?

Answer 1

Jason bought 38 stamps and 17 postcards

Solution:

Let "a" be the number of stamps bought

Let "b" be the number of postcards bought

The number of stamps was 4 more than twice the number of post cards

Therefore,

Number of stamps bought = 4 + 2(number of post cards)

a = 4 + 2b ------- eqn 1

Jason bought both 41 cent stamps and 26 cent postcards and spent $20.28

1 dollar is equal to 100 cents

Thus, $ 20.28 is equal to 2028 cents

Therefore, we frame a equation as:

$41 \times a + 26 \times b = 2028$

41a + 26b = 2028 ----------- eqn 2

Let us solve eqn 1 and eqn 2

Substitute eqn 1 in eqn 1

41(4 + 2b) + 26b = 2028

164 + 82b + 26b = 2028

164 + 108b = 2028

108b = 1864

$b = 17.25 \approx 17$

Substitute b = 17 in eqn 1

a = 4 + 2(17)

a = 4 + 34

a = 38

Thus Jason bought 38 stamps and 17 postcards