At a concession stand, five hot dogs and two hamburgers cost $11.75; two hot dogs and five hamburgers cost $11.00. How do you find the cost of one hot dog and the cost of one hamburger?

1 Answer
Sep 16, 2017

#"Price of one hotdog"=1.75$#
#"Price of one hamburger"=1.5$#

Explanation:

#"Price of one hotdog"=x#
#"Price of one hamburger"=y#

  1. #5*x+2*y=11.75#
  2. #2*x+5*y=11.00#

From first equation we find y in terms of x:
#5*x+2*y=11.75#
#2*y=11.75-5*x#
#y=(11.75-5*x)/2#

Putting the value of y in the second equation:
#2*x+5*y=11.00#
#2*x+5*(11.75-5*x)/2=11.00#

We multiply the whole equation by 2 to get ride of the fraction:
#(2*x+5*(11.75-5*x)/2=11.00)*2#
#2*2*x+5*cancel2(11.75-5*x)/cancel2=11.00*2#
#4*x+5(11.75-5*x)=22.00#

#4*x+58.75-25*x=22.00#

Subtracting 58.75 from both sides of the equation we get:
#4*x+cancel58.75-25*xcancel(-58.75)=22.00-58.75#
#-21*x=-36.75#

Multiplying the whole equation by -1 we get:
#(-21*x=-36.75)*-1#
#21*x=36.75#

Dividing both sides by 21 to isolate x, we get:
#cancel21x/cancel21=36.75/21=1.75$#

Substituting the value of x in equation of y we get:
#y=(11.75-5*x)/2=(11.75-5*1.75)/2=1.5$#

#rArr "price of one hotdog"=x=1.75$#
#and "price of one hamburger"=y=1.5$#