Question

A garden table and a bench coat $829 combined. The garden table costs $71 less than then bench. What is the cost of the bench?

Answer 1

Answer: The cost of the garden bench = $450

Explanation:

step 1 ; Let the cost of the garden table = $x --------------------------- 1

Therefore the garden bench = $(x + 71) -------------------2

The total cost of the garden table and garden bench = $829

Now add equation 1 & 2 together and equate to $829

$x + $(x + 71) = $829

solve for x

$x + $x + $71 = $829

2$x = $829 - $71

2$x = $758

divide by 2

$x = $379.

so the cost of the garden table = $379

To know the cost of the garden bench, substitute for x in the second equation, $(x + 71)

$(379 + 71)

= $450.

check $379 + $450 = $829.

Answer 2

Explanation:

The equation for this situation is t + b = 829, where t is the table and b is the bench. But that's too many unknowns for 1 equation. Hence, we use the rest of the given info to write the expression for the table in terms of the bench. If the table is 71 less than the bench, let b = bench then t = b - 71. Now we can fill in the equation with only the unknown of b:

If t + b = 829, then b - 71 + b = 829 and

2b - 71 = 829 and

2b = 900 so

b = 450

That means that the bench costs $450 (the table has to cost $379 then, if it is $71 cheaper than the bench).