Question

Gisele has $5.90 in quarters and nickels. If Gisele has 16 more nickels than quarters, how many quarters does she have? [I don't want the answer I just want to know how to set the problem up please]

Answer 1

Answer: There are 17 quarters.

Step-by-step explanation:

Let x = Number of quarters and  Number of nickels =x+16

∵ 1 nickel = $0.05, 1 quarter = $0.25

value of x quarters = 0.25 x

value of x+16  nickels = 0.05(x+16)

Then, as per given,

$0.05(x+16)+0.25 x= 5.90 \\\\\Rightarrow\ 0.05x+0.8+0.25x=5.90\\\\\Rightarrow\ 0.30x=5.9-0.8\\\\\Rightarrow\ 0.30x=5.1\\\\\Rightarrow\ x=\dfrac{5.1}{0.30}=\dfrac{51}{3}\\\\\Rightarrow\ x=17$

Hence, there are 17 quarters.