Question

Aisha is selling cotton candy at the fair. She pays $175 for materials and sells each bag of cotton candy for $1.50 each. If Aisha sells b bags of cotton candy, which equation shows her profit?

Answer 1

amount received - amount paid

Answer 2

The trick with these problems is translating the English words into Math notation...



Aisha is selling cotton candy at the fair.
No math. No equations or expressions, moving on...


Hmm, here's something we can turn into math.
She pays $175 for materials and sells each bag of cotton candy for $1.50 each.

She pays $175 for M and sells each bag of cotton candy for $1.50 each.

She pays $175 for M and sells each b of cotton candy for $1.50 each.

She pays 175= M and sells each b for $1.50 each.

She pays 175= M and sells each b = 1.50

175= M and sells each b = 1.50

175= M and b = 1.50

So now we have it down to this.

Ok, now for the question...

If Aisha sells b bags of cotton candy, which equation shows her profit?

Well, she spent (lost) 175 dollars.
And she is gaining (Making back) 1.50 dollars for EACH little bag she sells.
USUALLY the money we lose is denoted with a negative number.

So the equation you want is...

Profit is 1.50 per bag sold MINUS 175 dollars.

Profit = 1.50 per bag sold MINUS 175 dollars.

P = 1.50 per bag sold MINUS 175 dollars.

P = 1.50b MINUS 175 dollars.


P = 1.50b - 175.

ta-dah! :D