Final answer:
To determine the number of quarters (q) and dimes (d) Ted has, we set up a system of equations: 25q + 10d = 680 for the total value, and d = 3q for the relationship between the quantities of coins. We can solve this system to find the values for q and d.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve for the number of quarters and dimes Ted has, we can set up two equations that represent the value of the coins and the relationship between the number of each type of coin. Let q represent the number of quarters and d represent the number of dimes.
The first equation is derived from the total value of the coins, which is $6.80. In cents, this is 680 cents. Quarters are worth 25 cents each and dimes are worth 10 cents each, so the value equation is:
25q + 10d = 680 (1)
The second equation comes from the given relationship that the number of dimes is three times the number of quarters:
d = 3q (2)
These two equations form the system of equations that we will solve simultaneously to find the number of quarters and dimes: