Final answer:
The equation 0.75c + 0.50p = 12.50 represents the situation where Helen spent $12.50 to purchase 23 snack-sized bags of chips and pretzels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cost of buying c bags of chips and p bags of pretzels can be represented by the equation:
0.75c + 0.50p = 12.50
Here, 0.75 represents the cost of chips and 0.50 represents the cost of pretzels. The total cost of $12.50 is calculated by multiplying the cost per item by the number of items for both chips and pretzels.
Therefore, the correct equation for this situation is 0.75c + 0.50p = 12.50. This equation represents the cost of purchasing 23 snack-sized bags of chips and pretzels for $12.50.