Jenny has 6 quarters and some nickels. The total value of her coins is $3.15. How do you write and solve an equation for this?

3 Answers
Aug 3, 2017

6(25) + x(5) = 315

Explanation:

6 xx 25 equals the value of the quarters

x xx 5 equals the value of the nickels

315 equals the value of the total of quarters and nickels.

6 xx 25 + x xx 5 = 315 multiply to find the value of quarters.

150 + 5x = 315 subtract 150 from both sides

150 - 150 + 5x = 315 -150

5x = 165 divide both sides by 5

(5x)/5 = 165/5

x = 33

There are 33 nickels

Aug 3, 2017

$1.5 + (n * $0.05) = $3.15

Explanation:

A quarter is $0.25, let's call that value q.

6q = $1.5

A nickel is $0.05, and we have an unknown n amount of them.

"Final equation: " $1.5 + (n * $0.05) = $3.15

Now we solve the equation, substracting $1.5 on both sides:

(n * $0.05) = $1.65

Dividing both sides by $0.05:

n = 33

Aug 3, 2017

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

We can write and equation for this problem as:

t = $0.25q + $0.05n

Where:

t is the total value of the coins, $3.15 for this problem.

q is the number of quarters multiplied by their value of $0.25. This is 6 for this problem.

n is the number of nickels multiplied by the value of $0.05. This is what we are solving for in this problem.

Substituting what we know and solving for n gives:

$3.15 = ($0.25 * 6) + $0.05n

$3.15 = $1.50 + $0.05n

$3.15 - color(red)($1.50) = -color(red)($1.50) + $1.50 + $0.05n

$1.65 = 0 + $0.05n

$1.65 = $0.05n

($1.65)/color(red)($0.05) = ($0.05n)/color(red)($0.05)

(color(red)(cancel(color(black)($)))1.65)/color(red)(color(black)(cancel(color(red)($)))0.05) = (color(red)(cancel(color(black)($0.05)))n)/cancel(color(red)($0.05))

1.65/color(red)(0.05) = n

33 = n

n = 33

Jenny has color(red)(33) nickels along with her 6 quarters