Question

Ben can purchase office supplies for his store from several companies. Acme Wholesale will sell him 100 pens and 200 pencils for $125. Grant Supply Company will sell him 500 pens and 200 pencils for $425. If the pens and pencils are the same price at both companies, how much will Ben pay for each?

Answer 1

Ben will pay approximately $0.42 for each pen from Acme Wholesale and approximately $0.61 for each pen from Grant Supply Company.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find out how much Ben will pay for each pen, we can set up a system of equations using the information given.

Let's assume the price of one pen is P dollars.

From Acme Wholesale, we know that 100 pens plus 200 pencils cost $125. So, we can write the equation:

100P + 200P = 125

Similarly, from Grant Supply Company, we know that 500 pens plus 200 pencils cost $425. So, we can write the equation:

500P + 200P = 425

Simplifying both equations, we get:

300P = 125

700P = 425

Dividing both sides of the equations by their respective coefficients, we can solve for the price of one pen:

P = 125/300 = $0.4167

P = 425/700 = $0.6071

So, Ben will pay approximately $0.42 for each pen from Acme Wholesale and approximately $0.61 for each pen from Grant Supply Company.