Question

At a produce stand, 3 pounds of artichokes and 8 pounds of spinach cost a total of $51.00, while 9 pounds of artichokes and 4 pounds of spinach cost a total of $63.00. How much does a pound of spinach cost?

A) $3.50
B) $4.00
C) $4.50
D) $5.00

Answer 1

By setting up and solving a system of equations with the given information, we find that the cost per pound of spinach is $4.50.

Step-by-step explanation:

To solve this problem, we can set up two equations based on the given information where x is the cost per pound of artichokes and y is the cost per pound of spinach.

Equation 1: 3x + 8y = $51.00

Equation 2: 9x + 4y = $63.00

To find the value of y, we can solve these equations simultaneously. First, we can multiply the first equation by 3 to help eliminate x:

• 3(3x + 8y) = 3($51.00)
  
  9x + 24y = $153.00

Then, we subtract the second equation from this result:

• (9x + 24y) - (9x + 4y) = ($153.00 - $63.00)
  
  20y = $90.00

Dividing both sides by 20 gives us:

• y = $4.50

Therefore, the cost per pound of spinach is $4.50.