Thread: I need help with this math word problem

1. I need help with this math word problem

At a dinner, Joe orders three strips of bacon and a cup of coffee and is charged $2.25. Stella orders two strips of bacon and a cup of coffee and is charged$1.70. What is the price of two strips of bacon?

2. Re: I need help with this math word problem

Originally Posted by brandon01
At a dinner, Joe orders three strips of bacon and a cup of coffee and is charged \$2.25. Stella orders two strips of bacon and a cup of coffee and is charged \$1.70. What is the price of two strips of bacon?

6. Re: I need help with this math word problem

Originally Posted by romsek
let $b$ be the cost of a strip of bacon, and

$c$ be the cost of a cuppa

$3b + c = 2.25$

$2b + c = 1.70$
subtract the 2nd equation from the first

$b = 0.55$

8. Re: I need help with this math word problem

Originally Posted by brandon01
i don't understand 3b + c = 2.25 what do i do for that? is it 3b -2b gives you a $1 I don't know I think you need more help than this site is designed for.$3b+c = 2.25$expresses that 3 pieces of bacon and a cup of coffee costs \$2.25

likewise $2b+c=1.70$ expresses that 2 pieces of bacon and a cup of coffee costs \$1.70 you can add and subtract equations to/from each other and still maintain them as equations if you subtract the second equation from the first you get$(3b-2b) + (c-c) = (2.25 - 1.70)b = 0.55$so the cost of 1 pieces of bacon is$0.55$2 pieces of bacon will cost twice this or$2 \times 0.55 = \$1.10$

9. Re: I need help with this math word problem

Originally Posted by brandon01
i don't understand 3b + c = 2.25 what do i do for that?
(cost of 3 pieces of bacon) + (cost of one cup of coffee) is (2 dollars and 25 cents)

translate to an equation ...

$3b + c = 2.25$

do the same process for Stella's order ...

$2b + c = 1.70$

solve using the method of elimination (have you heard of this method before?) ...

$\color{red}{3b} + \color{blue}{c} = \color{green}{2.25}$
$\color{red}{2b} + \color{blue}{c} = \color{green}{1.70}$
---------------- subtract each term from the one above it

$\color{red}{b} + \color{blue}{0} = \color{green}{0.55}$

this equation says one piece of bacon costs 55 cents ... so, how much would two pieces cost?

10. Re: I need help with this math word problem

My point before was that the only difference between the two orders, "three strips of bacon and a cup of coffee" and "two strips of bacon and a cup of coffee" is one strip of bacon. The difference in the two costs, $2.25- 1.70=$0.55, is that one strip of bacon. Two strips of bacon cost 2(0.55)= \$1.10.

11. Re: I need help with this math word problem

sorry everyone that i need a lot of math help, i'm not good at this math stuff, is their a book i can read, i'll read it

12. Re: I need help with this math word problem

Originally Posted by brandon01
sorry everyone that i need a lot of math help, i'm not good at this math stuff, is their a book i can read, i'll read it
there are lots of books. I'd hit a used book store and see if they have a book on algebra.

There are also lots of online resources such as this one

13. Re: I need help with this math word problem

thanks everyone