Answer:
Let the cost of each popcorn bag be x and cost of each drink be y
Cost of 9 bags of Popcorn= 9 x
Cost of 8 drinks be = 8 y
Total money spent by Makayla = $ 49
According to Question
9 x + 8 y= 49..................... equation (1)
Similarly , cost of 3 popcorn = 3 x
Cost of 3 drinks= 3 y
Total money spent by Caroline= $ 17.25
According to Question
3 x+ 3 y= $ 17.25...................equation(2)
We can solve above equation by using elimination method
Multiply equation (2) by 3
9 x + 9 y = 51.75..................equation(3)
9 x + 8 y= 49..................... equation (1)
Subtraction equation (1 ) from equation(3)
y = 2.75
put value of y in any equation (2)
we get
3 x + 3 × 2.75 = 17.25
3 x + 8.25 = 17.25
3 x = 17.25 - 8.25
3 x = 9
x = 3
Hence, cost of each popcorn bag $ 3 cost of each popcorn bag is also $ 3 (approx)
as
. But this cancellation is only valid when 
.
, you end up with the indeterminate form 
, which is why 
is not a zero.