Answer:cost of one pound of apple is $2.5
the cost of one pound of orange is $2
Explanation:
Let x represent the cost of one pound of apple.
Let y represent the cost of one pound of orange.
Mom spent $15.50 for 3 pounds of apples and 4 pounds of oranges. This means that
3x + 4y = 15.5 - - - - - - - - -1
Your aunt spent $18.50 for 5 pounds of apples and 3 oranges. This means that
5x + 3y = 18.5- - - - - - - - - -2
Multiplying equation 1 by 5 and equation 2 by 3, it becomes
15x + 20y = 77.5
15x + 9y = 55.5
Subtracting,
11y = 22
y = 22/11 = 2
Substituting y = 2 into equation 1, it becomes
3x + 4×2 = 15.5
3x + 8 = 15.5
3x = 15.5 - 8 = 7.5
x = 7.5/3 = 2.5