# Math Help - Simultaneous Equations - How to form the equation

1. ## Simultaneous Equations - How to form the equation

Juanita saves 20 cent and 50 cent coins in a money jar. After counting her money, she has 299 coins in total which ass up to $94. I) Taking x to be the number of 20 cent coins and y to be the number of 50 cent coins, write down two equations in x and y to represent this information. Im just struggling trying to form the equation, I can solve it after that. I think it would be something like this 20x + 50y = 299 20x + 50y = 940 I was thinking along these lines, Can somebody help? But then when you change the signs, you cross out both the x and the y, Its confusing me. 2. Originally Posted by ZettaDigit Juanita saves 20 cent and 50 cent coins in a money jar. After counting her money, she has 299 coins in total which ass up to$94.

I) Taking x to be the number of 20 cent coins and y to be the number of 50 cent coins, write down two equations in x and y to represent this information.

Im just struggling trying to form the equation, I can solve it after that.
I think it would be something like this
x + y = 299
20x + 50y = 9400

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...and now continue!

3. ## forming an equation

Originally Posted by earboth
...and now continue!

i always find it easier to write the equation in one unknown .If x is the number of 50 cent coins then 299-x equals the 20 cent coins You then write .5x +.2(299-x) =94

bjh