Word Problems

Involving Systems of
Linear Equations
Example 1.
John went to the grocery and bought 3 kilograms of beef and 2 kilograms of pork for
120 pesos. After a week, he went to the market again to buy a kilogram of beef and 2
kilograms of pork for 80 pesos. How much does a kilogram of beef and a kilogram of
pork cost individually?
X = cost per kilogram of beef; y = cost per kilogram of pork

3x + 2y = 120 2x = 40
X + 2y = 80 The cost per kilogram of beef is 20 pesos
X = 20 The cost per kilogram of pork is 30 pesos

1(3x + 2y) = 1(120) 3(20) + 2y = 120

-1(X + 2y) = -1(80) 60 + 2y = 120
2y = 120 – 60
3x + 2y = 120 2y = 60
-x -2y = -80 Y = 30
2x + 0 = 40
Example 2.
Mike ordered 2 burgers and a bottle of coke for 85 pesos. If a burger costs twice as
much as a bottle of softdrinks, then how much does a burger and a bottle of softdrinks
cost individually?

X = cost of the burger; y = cost of a bottle of coke

2x + y = 85 y = 17
X = 2y
X = 2y
2x + y = 85 X = 2(17)
2(2y) + y = 85 X = 34
4y + y = 85
5y = 85
Y = 17
Example 3.
John bought two orders of spaghetti and three pieces of chicken nuggets for 115 pesos.
Mike bought one order of spaghetti and five pieces of chicken nuggets for 75 pesos.
How much does an order of spaghetti cost? How much is a single piece of chicken
nugget?
X = cost of an order of spaghetti; y = cost of a single piece of chicken nugget
2x + 3y = 115
X + 5y = 75 X = 50
2x + 3y = 115
5(2x + 3y) = 5(115) 100 + 3y = 115
-3(X + 5y) = -3(75) 3y = 115 – 100
3y = 15
10x + 15y = 575 Y=5
-3x - 15y = -225
7x + 0 = 350
7x = 350
X = 50
Example 4.
The cost of admission to a popular music concert was $162 for 12 children and 3
adults. The admission was $122 for 8 children and 3 adults in another music concert.
How much was the admission for each child and adult?
X = admission for each child; y = admission for each adult

12x + 3y = 162 X = 10
8x + 3y = 122 12(10) + 3y = 162
120 + 3y = 162
1(12x + 3y) = (162)1 3y = 162 – 120
-1(8x + 3y) = (122)-1 3y = 42
Y = 14
12x + 3y = 162
-8x -3y = -122
4x + 0 = 40

4x = 40
X = 10
Example 5.
You are going to the mall with your friends and you have $200 to spend from your
recent birthday money. You discover a store that has all jeans for $25 and all dresses
for $50. You want to take home 6 items of clothing. How many pairs of jeans and how
many dresses you can buy with your $200?
Example 6.
The admission fee at a small fair is $1.50 for children and $4.00 for adults. On a certain
day, 2200 people enter the fair and $5050 is collected. How many children and how
many adults attended?
Example 7.
Isa and Jane are going to the Pizza Palace for dinner. Isa order 3 slices of pizza and 3
colas and have a bill that totals $15. Jane order 4 slices of pizza and 3 colas and have a
bill that totals $18. How much is an order of pizza? How much is an order of cola?
X = pizza; y = cola

3x + 3y = 15 X=3
4x + 3y = 18 3(3) + 3y = 15
9 + 3y = 15
3y = 15 – 9
3x + 3y = 15 3y = 6
-4x – 3y = -18 Y=2
-x + 0 = -3
-x = -3
X=3
Example 8.
In Lily’s garden, there are 5 rose bushes the first year. Each year, she adds two new rose
bushes. She has 20 tulip plants the first year and loses 3 each year. When will the
number of rose bushes equal the number of tulip plants?
Example 9.
The sum of two numbers is 79, and their difference is 23. What are the two numbers?
X= first number; y = second number

X + y = 79 X = 51
X – y = 23 51 + y = 79
Y = 79 – 51
Y = 28
X + y = 79
X – y = 23 51 + 28 = 79
2x + 0 = 102 51 – 28 = 23

2x = 102
X = 51