Question

A discount book store sells hardcover books for $8 each and paperbacks for $4 each.The number of hardcover books, h, sold one day was 2 more than four times the number of paperback books, p, sold that same day. The total amount of sales for that day was $160. Jean-Paul wrote the following system of linear equations to find the number of each type of book sold.

8h+4p=160
p=4h+2

What is Jean-Paul’s error?

A. Jean-Paul should have written the first equation as h+p=160

B. Jean-Paul should have written the first equation as 4h+8p=160

C. Jean-Paul should have written the second equation as h=4p+2

D. Jean-Paul should have written the second equation as p+2=4h

Answer 1

C. Jean-Paul should have written the second equation as h=4p+2

Explanation:

Let the hardcover books be denoted by = h

Let the paperback books be denoted by = p

A discount book store sells hardcover books for $8 (8h) each and paperbacks for $4 each (4p).

The total amount of sales for that day was $160. Equation forms:

`8h+4p=160`

The number of hardcover books, h, sold one day was 2 more than four times the number of paperback books, p, sold that same day. Equation forms:

`h=4p+2`

Now we can see that Jean Paul made a mistake writhing this second equation. She interchanged 'p' and 'h'.

So, the correct answer is option C.