Exhibits, Shows and Displays

Math Word Problems: Systems and Systems of Inequalities?

White River Gardens in Indianapolis, IN, presents a yearly butterfly exhibit. Pupae from Kenya, Tanzania, Costa Rica, and Florida are delivered semi-weekly. They are stored on rods in a glass case inside a green house until the metamorphosis takes place. As part of a recent order, White River Gardens received 63 pupae - morpho grandensis at $4.15 per pupa and battus polydamus at $1.50 per pupa. The total cost of the two species was $147.50. How many pupae of each species did the exhibit receive?

Public Comments

1. Two equations with two unknowns The trick is setting up the equations. let x = the number of morpho pupae let y = the number of battus pupae You know that they received 63 in all, so you have x + y = 63 You also know that the total cost is 147.50, so the number of one times it's price plus the number of the other times it's price equals what was spent. 4.15x + 1.50y = 147.50 You can multiply through by 100 if you do not want to work with decimals and use 415x + 150y = 14750 Now use that and the x + y = 63 adn solve the two equations by any method you like. Substitution would work well because you can easily fine what x = or what y= in the equations in this paragraph. Good luck.