Question

Ringo has $100 in the bank and is adding $50 each week in savings. George has $250 in the bank, and is adding $40 each week in savings. Their plan is to wait until their savings are equal and then buy a Magic Yellow Bus and take a road trip. They figure out that the equation can be written as 50W + 100 = 40w + 250, where w is the number of weeks. How long will it take for their savings to be equal?

Answer 1

Answer: 15 weeks

Ringo has $100 in the bank and is adding $50 each week

Total savings for Ringo = s

s = 100 + 50 x number of weeks

Let the number of weeks = w

s = 100 + 50w ---------- equation 1

George has $250 in the bank and is adding $40 each week

s = 250 + 40 * w

s = 250 + 40w --------------- equation 2

To calculate the number of weeks that will make their savings equal, we need to equate equation 1 and 2

100 + 50w = 250 + 40w

Collect the like terms

100 - 250 = 40w - 50w

-150 = -10w

-10w = -150

Divide both sides by -10

-10w/-10 = -150/-10

w = 15 weeks

Therefore, it will take 15 weeks for their savings to be equal