# Make an equation and find the two prices of the shoes

• February 8th 2011, 10:56 AM
Anna55
Make an equation and find the two prices of the shoes
Hello! I would like some help with this task.
Two manufacturers make "elevator shoes" for disco dancing of different qualities and the higher quality shoes sells for 8£ more than the others. As a shoekeeper, if you bought the cheaper type you could get five more pairs for £240. What are the prices of the two shoe types?

Thank you!
• February 8th 2011, 11:32 AM
Quacky
Haven't you been asking similar questions already? Try to have an attempt yourself.

Let the cheaper variety of shoe $= x$ and the more expensive type be $y$.

You know that $x + 8 = y$ (the more expensive shoes ' $y$' cost 8 pounds more than the less expensive ' $x$') . What else do you know?

Use this:
if you bought the cheaper type (x) you could get five more pairs for £240
• February 8th 2011, 11:46 AM
Anna55
This is my attempt, however the answer are incorrect.
x+5x=240
6x=240
x=40
• February 8th 2011, 12:06 PM
Quacky
The wording is strange, granted. I think they mean that 5 pairs of 'x' cost 240 pounds. So $5x=240$ Then $x=48$. Does that match their answer?
• February 9th 2011, 03:54 AM
HallsofIvy
Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna55
Hello! I would like some help with this task.
Two manufacturers make "elevator shoes" for disco dancing of different qualities and the higher quality shoes sells for 8£ more than the others. As a shoekeeper, if you bought the cheaper type you could get five more pairs for £240. What are the prices of the two shoe types?

Thank you!

Let "x" be the price of the cheaper type of shoe, in pounds. Then the more expensive pair is x+ 8 pounds
The number of cheaper shoes you could buy for £240 is 240/x. The number of more expensive pairs is 240/(x+ 8). Saying that you could get 5 more of the cheaper shoes means that 240/(x+8)- 240/x= 5.
• February 9th 2011, 06:31 AM
Anna55
Thank you HallsofIvy, I understand now. However I believe that the equation should be like this: 240/(x+8)-5 = 240/x