Question

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?

Answer 1

`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.