Question

for a small party of 12 people, the caterer offered a choice of a steak dinner for $12:00 per or a chicken dinner for $10.50 the final cost for the meals was 138:00. how many of each was ordered?​

Answer 1

let the $12 dish be x and the other y

x + y = 12 <--- 1

12x + 10.50y= 138 <--- 2

multiply equation 1 by 12

so now we have

12x + 12y = 144

12x + 10.50y = 138

now subtract each one and that cancels out x

1.5y = 6

y = 4

now subsitute that into any equation

x + 4 = 12

x = 12 - 4

x = 8