Question

Soup and salad cost $5.50 in total. the soup costs a dollar more than the salad. how much does the salad cost (in cents)?

Answer 1

Soup + Salad = 5.50

Soup = Salad + 1

Subtitute both formulas into:

Salad + 1 + Salad = 5.50

2 Salad = 4.50

Salad = $ 2.25
 
          = 225 cents

Answer 2

Let the cost of soup be X 
Let the cost of salad be Y
 The soup and salad cost totally be X+Y= 5.50 ---eqn 1
 Given the relation that the cost of soup(X) is a one dollar more than that of
salad (Y),and it can be written as a equation X = Y+1 - -eqn 2 
 Sub eqn 2 in 1 we get Y+Y+1 =5.50 ; 2Y+1 = 5.50 ; Y = 2.25
  therefore X+Y= 5.50 ; sub Y in the equation 1 X+2.25 = 5.50 ; 
  X = 5.50 - 2.25 = 3.25 ; ie soup = 325 cents ; salad = 225 cents