Question

Our math class is having a pizza party. The students decide to buy pizza by the slice and cans of soda for the party. Each slice of pizza costs $3 and each can of soda costs $1.50. There are 8 students in the class. They want to have a can of soda for each student and 2 slices of pizza per student.

Answer 1

Variables

• p: number of pizza slices purchased

,

• s: number of sodas purchased

,

• t: total cost

Given that there are 8 students and each student receives 2 slices of pizza, then:

$p=8(2)=16$

That is, they have to purchase 16 slices of pizza.

Given that there are 8 students and each student receives one can of soda, then:

$s=8(1)=8$

That is, they have to purchase 8 cans of soda.

If 1 can of soda costs $1.50, then, s cans of soda will cost 1.5s dollars

If 1 slice of pizza costs $3, then, p slices will cost 3p dollars

The total cost is the addition of the cost of sodas and the cost of pizza, then:

$3p+1.5s=t$

Substituting p = 16 and s = 8 into the last equation, we get:

$3(16)+1.5(8)=t$