Question

Allison’s cupcake and cookie budget for her party is $105. She would like to have at least 40 cupcakes and cookies combined, and would like to have at most 5 more cupcakes than cookies. If cupcakes sell for $2.50 and cookies for $1.50, which system of inequalities could help Allison determine possible numbers of cupcakes (a) and cookies (b) that she should buy? ( a ≥ 0 , b ≥ 0 )

Answer 1

a + b ≥ 40

a + 5 ≤ b

2.50a + 1.50b ≤ 105

Explanation:

We are told she would like to have at least 40 cupcakes and cookies combined.

If a is number of cupcakes and b is number of cookies, then this inequality is;

a + b ≥ 40

Secondly, we are told she would like to have at most 5 more cupcakes than cookies.

Thus, the inequality is;

a + 5 ≤ b

Lastly, we are told that cupcakes sell for $2.50 and cookies for $1.50

Thus, the inequality is;

2.50a + 1.50b ≤ 105

Finally, the 3 inequalities are;

a + b ≥ 40

a + 5 ≤ b

2.50a + 1.50b ≤ 105