"In 2015, the shop places the following two orders..."

darrenJ

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Oct 8, 2015
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I am struggling with a basic maths probelm. I have been given the following assignment.

5) In 2015, the shop places the following two orders belowfor items 234324 and 454321. How much have the costs changed for each itembetween 2014 and 2015? Show your working in the '2015 orders' sheet.

2015
Order 1:150 x product 234324; 190 x product 454321. Ordercost = £471.80
Order 2:350 x product 234324; 160 x product 454321.Order cost = £755.20


2014
Order 1:150 x product 234324; 190 x product 454321. Ordercost = £414.45
Order 2:350 x product 234324; 160 x product 454321.Order cost = £613.24

 
The first thing I'd do is read and analyze the information given. In general, the order cost will be:

Total cost = (number of "Product 234324" ordered) * (cost of "Product 234324") + (number of "Product 454321" ordered) * (cost of "Product 454321")

So, let's declare some variables. Let a represent the cost of "Product 234324" in 2014. Let b represent the cost of "Product 454321" in 2014. Then the two orders from 2014 are:

Order 1: 150a + 190b = £414.45
Order 2: 350a + 160b = £613.24

Can you solve one of these two equations for a in terms of b? What happens if you substitute that expression for a in the other equation? You should be able to figure out how much each item cost in 2014. Then do the same process for 2015's orders, and compare the costs.

If you get stuck again, please show all of your work when you reply back.
 
The first thing I'd do is read and analyze the information given. In general, the order cost will be:

Total cost = (number of "Product 234324" ordered) * (cost of "Product 234324") + (number of "Product 454321" ordered) * (cost of "Product 454321")

So, let's declare some variables. Let a represent the cost of "Product 234324" in 2014. Let b represent the cost of "Product 454321" in 2014. Then the two orders from 2014 are:

Order 1: 150a + 190b = £414.45
Order 2: 350a + 160b = £613.24

Can you solve one of these two equations for a in terms of b? What happens if you substitute that expression for a in the other equation? You should be able to figure out how much each item cost in 2014. Then do the same process for 2015's orders, and compare the costs.

If you get stuck again, please show all of your work when you reply back.
No I cant work out a logical way to find out the unit price for each product using the volume & total price of both orders
 
No I cant work how to deduce the unit price for each product by using the total volume of each order and the order value
 
Alright, so let's think it through then. What if the shop had instead ordered just 1 of each product? And let's pick a random number for the combined cost... say £5. Then we'd have this equation:

(Cost of "Product 234324") + (Cost of "Product 454321") = £5

Because we know that the cost of both together is £5, we can say something about the cost of just one. What if we rearrange the equation a bit?

(Cost of "Product 234324") = £5 - (Cost of "Product 454321") Subtract the cost of "Product 454321" from both sides

If you did something similar in the equation for the first order of 2014, then you'd have an expression for the cost of 150 "Product 234324"s. What would you do, then, to find the cost of just one "Product 234324?"
 
Yes I did that, however the answer came out at 2.18 for B, when it should be 1.18 in 2014... I dont know how to isolate the value of A
 
I cant solve either the 2014 or 2015
Okay; but that wasn't the helper's question. Please reply: Can you solve the posted system of equations? If not, then by what method is your class solving this sort of exercise?

Please be specific. Thank you! ;)
 
if I knew the method then I would refer to it, I am trying to ascertain the method for solving the equations, this is the last question in a series and is not purely maths related. I am just asking if anyone can solve the question and the method to use, so if anyone can provide the answers and the method used then I would (I hope) be able to follow it... I appreciate that members of the forum are trying to prompt answers from me, however I am not studying maths, I do not have the building blocks to follow the prompts......

So all I am asking is for someone to provide the method and answer so that I can follow the logic..

Thanks again
 
So all I am asking is for someone to provide the method...
You were provided with "the method", and you've stated that you don't understand it. Therefore, we need to know what method(s) you do understand. So it would be helpful to know what method(s) your class or book used for similar exercises.

Please keep in mind that we are not in your class and cannot see what you're looking at. Until you tell us your context, we can only guess. Since our guesses weren't right, we'll need more input from you.

and answer so that I can follow the logic.
Sorry, but this isn't that sort of place; as you saw in the "Read Before Posting" thread that you read before posting, we don't give out the answers. Also, if "following the logic" were all that were necessary, then the worked examples in your book and in your class notes would have been sufficient. So kindly please reply with the requested information. Thank you! ;)
 
The question at the start of the thread is all the information I have. This a one off, not a class. I was expecting a step by step method? To date I havent seen an answer or detailed explanation of the method being put forward? The help being offered assumes I already have knowledge of the subject, I have none!! Look back over the thread, do you really think anyone without prior knowledge of the subject would understand the advice given? No they would not.

So once again I am asking for someone to provide the answers and how those answers were derived, I will not gain anything from knowing the answer without the method use!!!

So can anyone help???
 
The question at the start of the thread is all the information I have. This a one off, not a class. I was expecting a step by step method? To date I havent seen an answer or detailed explanation of the method being put forward? The help being offered assumes I already have knowledge of the subject, I have none!! Look back over the thread, do you really think anyone without prior knowledge of the subject would understand the advice given? No they would not.

So once again I am asking for someone to provide the answers and how those answers were derived, I will not gain anything from knowing the answer without the method use!!!

So can anyone help???

I have now solved the problem
 
I have the solution ......
Great! We know that you weren't supposed to use any of the methods we'd suggested. What method were you supposed to use?

This knowledge will help us, the next time we encounter this unusual situation, so please be complete. Thank you for helping future students! ;)
 
What method would you have suggested out of interest? There are only 3 methods that I have found. I am happy to assist you in the way you offer help, but to do that it would be good for you to set out how to solve the equations. I have never attempted Algebra before. So as you can imagine I found the help offered on this site frustrating, my tip to you all would be out of experience.

I once encounterd a consultant who said to his audience , "treat me like a child"... meaning that if you break things down to a child's level then it is easy to understand.

As someone who has coached and also managed a team, the above is the best advice I could give you. When the education of the people that work for you and contribute to your success, you take great care that they understand you and you understand them...
 
Hi Denis,

I do an unpaid voluntary role going up against well paid professionals, where livelihoods are at stake. Being a volunteer does not allow you to do less than a competent job.

There are obviously talented people on this site with great knowledge, but imparting that knowledge in a way that can be understood is a skill, as is being able to extract and recognise the problem/issue being presented.

What I was asking for is someone to provide the answers and then step by step detail how the answer is arrived at, this is clearly within the power of people on this site, analysis of the failure to provide either would certainly improve the help given in the future.
 
To add my two cents to Denis' opinion regarding offering answers, I too think it would be a bad idea. The ultimate goal of this website is to facilitate students' learning of math. By only giving hints, the helpers here are trying to ensure that the student actually learns. We give hints and ask leading questions so that they learn how to solve not only this one particular problem, but others like it. Quite often on sites where answers are given (even on sites where they show steps to get to said answer), the student can understand that one problem, but when another one that's nearly identical, but with different numbers, comes up, they don't know how to solve that one, because they never learned the underlying process. Then, come test time, they don't have access to the website, and they do poorly.
 
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