Question

1

Question: Two customers went to an office supply store to purchase small
envelopes and memo pads. Each small envelope costs the same amount,
and each memo pad costs the same amount. *
The first customer paid $17 for 7 small envelopes
and 3 memo pads.
The second customer paid $28.75 for 12 small
envelopes and 5 memo pads.
What was the cost in dollars of each memo pad?

Answer 1

Given:

The first customer paid $17 for 7 small envelopes and 3 memo pads.

The second customer paid $28.75 for 12 small envelopes and 5 memo pads.

To find:

The cost in dollars of each memo pad.

Solution:

Let x be the cost of each small envelop and y be the cost of each memo pad.

The first customer paid $17 for 7 small envelopes and 3 memo pads.

`7x+3y=17` ...(i)

The second customer paid $28.75 for 12 small envelopes and 5 memo pads.

`12x+5y=28.75` ...(ii)

Multiply equation (i) by 12 and equation (ii) be 7 to get same coefficient of x.

`84x+36y=204` ...(iii)

`84x+35y=201.25` ...(iv)

Subtracting (iv) from (iii), we get

`84x+36y-84x-35y=204-201.25`

`y=2.75`

Therefore, the cost of each memo pad is $2.75.