Answer:
Nick may purchase either:
1) 4 bagels and 4 cream cheeses (a total of $8.00), or
2) 9 bagels and 1 cream cheese (also a total of $8.00)
Explanation:
Let B and C stand for the numbers of Bagels and Cream cheese Nick purchases.
Total bagel cost would be $0.75B
Total Cream cheese cost would be $1.25C
Nick has $8.00 to spend. Lets assume he want to spend it all.
$0.75B + $1.25C = $8.00
If we assume Nick want a container of cream cheese for each bagel, then B = C. If this is true, we can rewrite the above equation as:
$0.75B + $1.25B = $8.00, or
$2.00B = $8.00
B = 4
This means Nick can purchase 4 bagels and 4 cream cheeses, since B and C are equal.
One may question whether a cream cheese is needed for every bagel. Perhaps a container has enough for multiple bagels. If this is the case, we can't say B = C. In fact, C < B.
Let's recalculate:
$0.75B + $1.25C = $8.00, where C<B
If C was 1 (one cream cheeses for all the bagels purchased), the equation becomes:
$0.75B + $1.25*(1) = $8.00, where C = 1
$0.75B + $1.25 = $8.00
$0.75B = $8.00 - $1.25
$0.75B = $6.75
B = ($6.75)/($0.75)
B = 9 bagels and 1 cream cheese
This will also add to $8.00