Question

Mia is making a necklace using two types of beads. Buying 40 blue beads and 20 silver beads will cost $10. Buying 20 blue beads and 40 silver beads will cost $14. How much does each type of bead cost?

Answer 1

Let b represent cost of blue beads and s represent cost of silver beads.

We have been given that Mia is making a necklace using two types of beads. Buying 40 blue beads and 20 silver beads will cost $10. We can represent this information in an equation as:

`40b+20s=10...(1)`

Buying 20 blue beads and 40 silver beads will cost $14. We can represent this information in an equation as:

`20b+40s=14...(2)`

Multiplying equation (2) with 2, we will get:

`40b+80s=28...(2)`

Upon subtracting equation (2) from equation (1), we will get:

`40b-40b+20s-80s=10-28`

`-60s=-18`

`(-60s)/(-60)=(-18)/(-60)`

`s=0.3`

Therefore, the cost of silver beads is $0.3.

Upon substituting
`s=0.3` in equation (1), we will get:

`40b+20(0.3)=10`

`40b+6=10`

`40b+6-6=10-6`

`40b=4`

`(40b)/(40)=(4)/(40)`

`b=0.1`

Therefore, the cost of blue beads is $0.1.