Question

At the movies, two people buy snacks for their friends. The first person buys three boxes of candy and five drinks for $15.00. The second person buys two boxes of candy and seven drinks for $15.50. How much does a box of candy and a drink cost?

Answer 1

A box of candy and a drink cost $1.95 and $1.83, respectively.

Step-by-step explanation:

Let's solve this problem using a system of equations. Let's assume that the cost of a box of candy is x dollars and the cost of a drink is y dollars.

From the information given:

• First person: 3x + 5y = 15
• Second person: 2x + 7y = 15.50

We can solve this system of equations by elimination or substitution. Let's use substitution:

From the first equation, we can solve for x:

x = (15 - 5y) / 3

Substituting this value of x in the second equation:

2((15 - 5y) / 3) + 7y = 15.50

Simplifying this equation, we get:

10 - 10y + 7y = 15.50

-3y = 5.50

y = -5.50 / -3

y = 1.83

Substituting this value of y back into the first equation, we can solve for x:

3x + 5(1.83) = 15

3x + 9.15 = 15

3x = 5.85

x = 5.85 / 3

x = 1.95

Therefore, a box of candy and a drink cost $1.95 and $1.83, respectively.