A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

1 Answer
May 2, 2016

5 cents

Explanation:

If the ball costs x cents, then the bat costs 100 + x cents and the total is 100+x+x = 100+2x cents.

We are told that the total is 110 cents, so 2x = 110 - 100 = 10
and hence x=5.

Footnote

Though this is not a difficult algebra question, it seems very intriguing psychologically. I find myself wanting to say the bat cost $1.00 and the ball $0.10. I think part of the issue is the ways we naturally say "one dollar, ten cents", or even worse "one dollar and ten cents". Then we might naturally think that since one bat and one ball is one dollar and ten cents then it's one dollar for the bat and ten cents for the ball.