Question

George purchases a sack of apples, a bunch of bananas, a cantaloupe, and a carton of dates for $20. If a carton of dates costs twice as much as a sack of apples and the price of a cantaloupe is equal to the price of a sack of apples minus a bunch of bananas, how much would it cost George to purchase a bunch of bananas and a cantaloupe?

Answer 1

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Answer:

$5

Explanation:

Let the variables A, B, C, D represent a sack of apples, a bunch of bananas, a cantaloupe, and a carton of dates, respectively. Then the problem statement gives rise to 3 equations:

A +B +C +D = 20

D = 2A

C = A -B

Substituting the last two equations into the first gives ...

A +B + (A -B) +2A = 20

4A = 20 . . . simplify

A = 5 . . . . . divide by 4

Substituting this into the last equation, we have ...

C = 5 -B

B + C = 5 . . . . add B

The cost to purchase a bunch of bananas and a cantaloupe is $5.