Re: 3 oranges & 4 apples=$4.33? Please help
let o bethe cost of oranges
let a be the cost of apples
eq.1) 3o + 4a = 4.33
eq.2) 5o + 3a = 5.42
Two equations in two unknowns, thus a solution existsd.
A number of ways to solve them and I do not know the method your instructor would like you to use,SUBSTITUTION, MATRIX ALGEBRA, ELIMINATION OF VARIABLES ?
I shall do it by elimination of variables
to eliminate o, multiply first equation by 5 and second by 3. in this way both equations have the same coefficient for o
eq.1) 15o+20a=21.65
eq.2) 15o+9a=16.26
subtract second eq. from the first
11a =5.39
divide both sides by 11
a=$.49 answer
substitute into eq.1 or 2 to obtain o
or multiply eq.1) by 3 and eq.2) by 4 and then subtract one eq. from the other to eliminate a.
Arthur