Question

Emily and Jack each improved their yards by planting hostas and ornamental grass. Theyboughttheir supplies from the same store. Emily spent $76 on 4 hostas and 12 bunches of ornamentalgrass. Jack spent $78 on 12 hostas and 6 bunches of ornamental grass. Write a SOEandsolveitto find the cost of one hosta and the cost of one bunch of ornamental grass?

Answer 1

let cost of

h = hostas

g = ornamental grass.

for Emily, Emily spent $76 on 4 hostas and 12 bunches of ornamental

4h + 12g = 76 ......(1)

for jack ,spent $78 on 12 hostas and 6 bunches of ornamental grass

12h + 6g = 78 ........(2)

multiply the equation (1) by 3

12h + 36g = 228

12h + 6g = 78

subtract the equations.

12h - 12h + 36g - 6g = 228 - 78

30g = 150

g = 150/30

g = 5

put g = 5 in equation 1

4h + 12(5) = 76

4h = 76 - 60

h = 16/4

h = 4

thus,

cost of one hosta is h = 4$

the cost of one bunch of ornamental grass is g = 5 $