Emily brought some money on a trip to the aquarium. She used half of the money to buy an admission ticket. Then, she used eight dollars to buy lunch at the food court. She used three-fourths of what was left to buy a souvenir, leaving her with four dollars. How much money did Emily take to the aquarium?

Question

radar · Answer

Don't you just love those worded problems.  They check your ability to translate mathematical sentences to algebraic structures.

radar · Answer

Let x = the amount of money emily brought to the aquarium.
We now sum up emily expenditures add the $4.00 she has left and we will have x or what loot she brought with her.

radar · Answer

Do you think that plan of attack will work?

radar · Answer

Answer please so I know you are there and awake.

radar · Answer

Then pay attention here, did you read the plan?

anonymous · Answer

yes i read it

radar · Answer

Good, we will now itemize Emily's expenses.....remember she brought x dollars.
1.  Ticket cost 1/2 of what she brought with her.  $ x/2
2. Lunch $8.00
     we now total what she has left (x/2) - $8.00
The reason we did that is because spent 3/4 of what was left for a souvenir .

3.  3/4 (x/2 -$8.00)=(3/8)x-$6.00)  that is the cost of the souvenir.

4 $4.00 is what she had left.
Now if we sum up all of this it will equal what she brought.

radar · Answer

x=x/2 + $8.00 + (3/8) x - $6.00 + $4.00
x =(7/8)x + $6.00
(1/8)x=$6.00
x= $48.00
She brought $48.00
$48.00
$24.00  ticket
$8.00  lunch
$12.00 souvenir
$4.00 left over

radar · Answer

Follow those steps and algebra you will get the same.