Question

Lucy and Ethel’s favorite store was having a sale. Lucy bought 10 shirts and 4 pairs of jeans and spent $280. Sabrina bought 12 shirts and 5 pairs of jeans and spent $344.

Assuming that each shirt was the same price, and each pair of jeans was the same price, how much did each shirt and each pair of jeans cost? Write a system of equations to represent this situation. Then solve for the solution using the elimination method.

Answer 1

Each shirt costs 12 dollars.

Each pair of pants cost 40 dollars.

Explanation:

Let x represent the shirts

Let y represent the pair of jeans

10x + 4y = $280

12x + 5y = $344

Use elimination method to eliminate y

• Multiply the entire first equation by 5.

• Multiply the second entire equation by -4.

5(10x +4y = $280)

-4(12x + 5y = $344)

50x + 20y = 1400

-48x -20y = -1376

2x = 24

x = 12

Each shirt costs 12 dollars.

Solve for how much each pair of jeans costs.

10(12) + 4y = 280

120 + 4y = 280

4y = 160

y = 40