Question

Evergreen landscaping bought 8 tons of topsoil, 5 tons of mulch, and 2 tons of pea gravel for $2943. The next week the firm bought 5 tons of topsoil, 4 tons of mulch, and 5 tons of pea gravel for $2700. Pea gravel costs$26 less per ton than topsoil. Find the cost per ton for each item.
-The price per ton of topsoil is $____
(Round to the nearest dollar as needed.)
-The price per ton of mulch is $____
(Round to the nearest dollar as needed.)
-The price per ton of pea gravel is $____
(Round to the nearest dollar as needed.)

Answer 1

The first step is give a "name" to the 3 unknowns. Pick 3 letters to represent the unknowns

Answer 2

i'll use x,y,z just because that's how my teacher has been working these word problems out

Answer 3

ok, but you have to label what x, y and z will stand for.

Answer 4

x will be topsoil, y will be mulch, and z will be pea gravel

Answer 5

ok, but be more clear. x will be the *cost of 1 ton of topsoil* x will be $ per ton of topsoil

same for y and z... they are prices

Answer 6

We pick x to be the cost of 1 ton of topsoil because that is what the question asks for.

Now an important idea:
if 1 ton of topsoil costs x dollars, what is the cost of 8 tons of topsoil ? I would multiply number of tons times cost per ton

Answer 7

@1668168 you can tag me when you have free time.