Final answer:
To find the cost of each bag of potatoes (ä) in Xochitl's purchase, we can use the equation 8ä + $2.88 = $53.36. After subtracting the cost of cheese, we divide the remaining total by 8 to find ä.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves creating an equation to represent the total cost of Xochitl's purchase, which includes cheese and potatoes. Since we know Xochitl pays $53.36 in total and $2.88 for the cheese, we can deduce that the rest of the amount was spent on 8 bags of potatoes. If ä represents the cost of one bag of potatoes, then the equation to represent the total cost would be:
8ä + $2.88 = $53.36
To solve for ä, we would subtract the cost of the cheese from the total cost and then divide the remaining amount by 8, as follows:
- Subtract the cost of cheese from the total cost: $53.36 - $2.88 = $50.48.
- Divide the remaining amount by the number of bags of potatoes: $50.48 ÷ 8 = ä.
Therefore, the cost of each bag of potatoes (ä) would be calculated to determine the total cost of the potatoes.