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The top three prices for works of art sold at auction in 2013 totaled $307.3 million. These three works of art were a sculpture, a painting, and a photograph. The selling price of the painting was $50.1 million more than that of the photograph. Together, the painting and the photograph sold for $18.5 million more than the sculpture. What was the selling price of each work?

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User Petr Syrov
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The selling price of the sculpture is $144.4 million, the painting is $106.5 million, and the photograph is $56.4 million.

Step-by-step explanation:

Let's represent the selling price of the sculpture, painting, and photograph as S, P, and Ph respectively.

From the given information, we can set up the following equations:

1. P + Ph + S = 307.3 million

2. P = Ph + 50.1 million

3. (P + Ph) - S = 18.5 million

Using equation 2, we can substitute the value of P in equations 1 and 3 to solve for Ph and S.

Substituting P = Ph + 50.1 million into equation 1, we get:

(Ph + 50.1 million) + Ph + S = 307.3 million

2Ph + S = 307.3 million - 50.1 million

2Ph + S = 257.2 million

Now, substituting P = Ph + 50.1 million into equation 3, we get:

(Ph + 50.1 million + Ph) - S = 18.5 million

2Ph + 50.1 million - S = 18.5 million

2Ph - S = 18.5 million - 50.1 million

2Ph - S = -31.6 million

We now have a system of two equations with two variables:

2Ph + S = 257.2 million

2Ph - S = -31.6 million

Let's solve this system using elimination method:

Add the two equations:

(2Ph + S) + (2Ph - S) = 257.2 million + (-31.6 million)

4Ph = 225.6 million

Divide both sides by 4:

Ph = 56.4 million

Substituting the value of Ph into equation 2:

P = 56.4 million + 50.1 million

P = 106.5 million

Substituting the values of P and Ph back into equation 1:

P + Ph + S = 307.3 million

106.5 million + 56.4 million + S = 307.3 million

162.9 million + S = 307.3 million

S = 307.3 million - 162.9 million

S = 144.4 million

Therefore, the selling price of the sculpture is $144.4 million, the painting is $106.5 million, and the photograph is $56.4 million.

User Panzerschreck
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