Alex bought some cherries at $5 per pound and some oranges at $2 per pound. If he paid $18 for the cherries and oranges combined, and if the total weight of the cherries and oranges was 6 pounds, how many pounds of cherries did Alex buy?
Let x be the weight of the cherries
Then (6-x) must be the weight of the oranges...since, together, they weigh 6 lbs.
So we have.....
(The weight of the cherries times their cost per pound) + (the weight of the oranges times their cost per pound) = (the total cost) ....or......mathematically.....
x(5) + (6-x)(2) = 18 ....simplifyting, we get
5x + 12 - 2x = 18 ......simplify again
3x + 12 = 18 ....subtract 12 from both sides
3x = 6
x = 2 lbs. of cherries
Let x be the weight of the cherries
Then (6-x) must be the weight of the oranges...since, together, they weigh 6 lbs.
So we have.....
(The weight of the cherries times their cost per pound) + (the weight of the oranges times their cost per pound) = (the total cost) ....or......mathematically.....
x(5) + (6-x)(2) = 18 ....simplifyting, we get
5x + 12 - 2x = 18 ......simplify again
3x + 12 = 18 ....subtract 12 from both sides
3x = 6
x = 2 lbs. of cherries