Question

A student bought two juice pouches for 1.25 each and 3 bags of chips. The total cost was 5.05. Write and solve an equation to determine the cost of a bag of chips, c.

Answer 1

($x * 3) + ($1.25 * 2) = $5.05

$0.85 for 1 bag of chips

Explanation:

Knowns: 3 bags of chips, 2 juices, cost of 1 juice, & total purchase amount

Unknown: cost of 1 bag of chips

So, (Cost of 1 bag of chips times number of bags of chips bought) + (cost of 1 juice times number of juices bought) = total cost

Now convert the words into numbers and variables (where x = cost of chips or unknown)...

(x * 3 bags of chips) + ($1.25 * 2 juices) = $5.05 total

simplify further...

(x * 3) + (1.25 * 2) = 5.05 (*this is your equation*)

solve further by multiplying 1.25 and 2, then subtracting that number from both sides to get the x by itself.

3x + (2.5) = 5.05

- 2.5 -2.5

Then, divide both sides by 3 to give the answer for x.

3x = 2.55

/3 /3

x = 0.85

Therefore, cost of one bag of chips is $0.85.