Question

Corinne bought 5 bags of chips and 4 jars of dipping sauce for $21.82. At the same prices, Ginger bought 4 bags of chips and 3 jars of dipping sauce for $16.86. What is the price of one jar of dipping sauce?

Answer 1

$2.98

Step-by-step explanation:

       5 bags of chips and 4 jars of dipping sauce cost $21.82. Also, 4 bags of chips and 3 jars of dipping sauce cost $16.86.

       This problem can be modeled using linear equations in two variables.

Let $c$ be the cost of a bag of chip and $s$ be the cost of a jar of dipping sauce.

The information yields the equations

       $5c+4s=21.82,4c+3s=16.86\\\textrm{Multiply first equation by 4 and second equation by 5}\\20c+16s=87.28,20c+15s=84.3\\\textrm{Subtracting second equation from the first one}\\s=\ 2.98$

∴ A jar of dipping sauce costs $\ 2.98$.