Question

The cost of five pencils and one pen is 2.50$, and the cost of one pencil and two pens is 1.85$. What is the cost of two pencils and one pen?

Answer 1

Let pc be pencils, and pn be pens. Then:
5pc+pn=250
pc+2pn=185
Then
10pc+2pn=500
pc+2pn=185
9pc=315
pc=35
pn=75
Pencils are 35 cents; pens are 75 cents

Answer 2

Answer:

5.50

Step-by-step explanation:

make two equations:$x + y = 2.50$

and $2x + 3y = 5.50$

we can multiply the top equation by -2

-2x   - 2y  = 5.00

 2x  + 3y  = 5.50

+

---------------------

          $y = .50$

We can plug y into the first to get $x + .50 = 2.50$

add them up to get  5.50

Hope this helps :)