Final Answer:
Joseph spent [3+1=4] dollars on cupcakes for himself and his three friends.
Step-by-step explanation:
Joseph bought cupcakes for himself and three friends, totaling four cupcakes. Since he bought one cupcake for each person, we can calculate the total cost by multiplying the number of cupcakes (4) by the cost per cupcake. Therefore, the total amount spent is 4 dollars.
In this case, the mathematical expression is straightforward, and no complex calculations are required. The number of cupcakes purchased (4) represents the quantity, and the cost per cupcake is implicitly assumed to be 1 dollar. Multiplying these values gives the total expenditure.
To break it down further, each term in the expression [3+1=4] corresponds to a specific part of the problem. The "3" represents the cupcakes for Joseph's friends, the "+1" represents the cupcake for Joseph himself, and the "=4" is the sum, indicating the total number of cupcakes and the total amount spent. In simple terms, Joseph spent 4 dollars in total on cupcakes for himself and his three friends.