A photo studio offers portraits in 8 X 10 and wallet-sized formats. One customer bought two 8 X 10 portraits and four wallet-sized portraits and paid $52. Another customer bought three 8 X 10 portraits and two wallet-sized portraits and paid $50. What is the cost of an 8 X 10 portrait? What is the cost of a wallet-sized portrait?
*Can you eliminate a variable by simply adding or subtracting?
* If not, how many of the equations do you need to multiply by a constant?

Question

A photo studio offers portraits in 8 X 10  and wallet-sized formats. One customer bought two 8 X 10 portraits and four wallet-sized portraits and paid $52.  Another customer bought three 8 X 10 portraits and two wallet-sized portraits and paid $50. What is the cost of an 8 X 10  portrait? What is the cost of a wallet-sized  portrait?
*Can you eliminate a variable by simply adding or subtracting? 
* If not, how many of the equations do you need to multiply by a constant?

anonymous · Answer

Let x represent portrait size and y represent wallet size.
This gives us: 
$$2x+4y=52$$
$$3x+2y=50$$
Solve the equation and you get your answer.

anonymous · Answer

I get x = 12 and y = 7. So a wallet size would cost $7