Question

The total cost of a tie and a pair of pants was $87.18. If the price of the tie was $2.12 less than the pair of pants, what was the price of the tie?

Answer 1

42.53

Explanation:

write equation

tie + pants = 87.18

since ties cost 2.12 less than pants,

tie = pants -2.12

now substitute back into first equation

pants - 2.12 + pants = 87.18

solve for pants by adding 2.12 to the other side

divide by 2 since there are 2 pants on one side

find pants and then substitute value into the tie equation to find the price of the tie

Answer 2

This is a linear equation problem with two variables. One way to solve it is by using the substitution method. Let x be the price of the tie and y be the price of the pair of pants. Then we have:

$$

\begin{aligned}

x + y &= 87.18 \\

x &= y - 2.12

\end{aligned}

$$

Substituting x into the first equation, we get:

$$

\begin{aligned}

(y - 2.12) + y &= 87.18 \\

2y - 2.12 &= 87.18 \\

2y &= 89.30 \\

y &= 44.65

\end{aligned}

$$

Therefore, the price of the pair of pants is $44.65. To find the price of the tie, we plug y into the second equation:

$$

\begin{aligned}

x &= y - 2.12 \\

x &= 44.65 - 2.12 \\

x &= 42.53

\end{aligned}

$$

Therefore, the price of the tie is $42.53.