Let x represent the number of general admission tickets sold.
Let y represent the number of reserved seating tickets sold.
We were told that general admission ticket costs $2 each and reserved seating ticket costs $6.50 each. This means that the cost of x general admission tickets and y reserved seating tickets would be
2x + 6.5y
The total amount received was $3953. It means that
2x + 6.5y = 3953
Also, the total number of tickets sold was 1297. It means that
x + y = 1297
x = 1297 - y
Substituting x = 1297 - y into 2x + 6.5y = 3953, it becomes
2(1297 - y) + 6.5y = 3953
2594 - 2y + 6.5y = 3953
- 2y + 6.5y = 3953 - 2594
4.5y = 1360
y = 1360/4.5
y = 302.22
Rounding to the nearest integer,
y = 302
x = 1297 - y = 1297 - 302
x = 995
995 general admission tickets were sold .
302 reserved seating tickets were sold