Final answer:
To solve for the number of nickels and dimes Susan has, we set up an equation based on the given conditions. By letting the number of dimes be represented as d, and since nickels are three times the dimes, we use the equation d + 3d = 48. The solution reveals that Susan has 36 nickels and 12 dimes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves finding the number of nickels and dimes in Susan's collection, given two conditions: the total count of the coins is 48, and the number of nickels is three times the number of dimes. To solve this, we can use two variables to represent the unknown quantities. Let's denote the number of dimes as d, and therefore, the number of nickels will be 3d because the nickels are three times the dimes.
To represent the total number of coins, we use the equation d + 3d = 48. Simplifying this equation, we get 4d = 48. Dividing both sides by 4 gives us d = 12. This tells us that Susan has 12 dimes. To find the number of nickels, we multiply the number of dimes by 3, resulting in 3 × 12 = 36 nickels.
So, the answer to the question is that Susan has 36 nickels and 12 dimes.