Unit 4.5: System of Equations Word Problems

System of Equations Word Problems

by Peter McNulty

Multiple Choice

The first step in solving system word problems is to ____________?

• Write the system
• Solve the system
• Define your variables
• Skip

Multiple Choice

Nancy went to the grocery story.  On Monday she purchased 4 apples and 6 bananas for a total of $13.  On Wednesday she purchased 3 apples and 7 bananas for a total of $13.50.  Which system of equations represents the situation?

• 4x + 6y = 3
  13.5x - 13y = 6
• x + y = 4
  x - y = 6
• 4x + 6y = 13
  3x + 7y = 13.5
• 4x - 6y = 13
  3x - 7y = 13.5

Multiple Choice

On Monday Joe bought 10 cups of coffee and 5 doughnuts for his office at the cost of $16.50.  It turns out that the doughnuts were more popular than the coffee.  On Tuesday he bought 5 cups of coffee and 10 doughnuts for a total of $14.25.  Which equations could be used to determine the cost of the coffee? 

• 10c + 5d = 14.25
  5c + 10d = 16.50
• 10c + 5d = 16.50
  5c + 10d = 14.25
• c + d = 10
  5c + 10d = 16.50
• c + d = 5
  5c + 10d = 16.50

Multiple Choice

The senior class at Rivermont High School rented and filled 11 vans and 3 buses with 283 students. The senior class at Washington High School rented and filled 12 vans and 14 buses with 770 students. Which system of equations solves this problem to show how many students were in each van and each bus?

• 11v + 3b = 283

  12v + 14b = 770

• v + b = 14

  v + b = 16

• 11v + 12v = 283

  3b + 14b = 770

• v + b = 30

  23v + 17b = 1053

Multiple Choice

The talent show committee sold a total of 530 tickets in advance. Student tickets cost $3 each and the adult tickets cost $4 each. If the total receipts were $1740, which system could be used to find how many of each type of ticket were sold?

• S + A = 530
  3S + 4A = 1740
• S + A = 530
  4S + 3A = 1740
• S + A = 1740
  3S + 4A = 530
• S + A = 1740
  4S + 3A = 530

Multiple Choice

Dennis mowed his next door neighbor’s lawn for a handful of dimes and nickels, 80 coins in all.  Upon completing the job he counted out the coins and it came to $6.60.  Which system of equations could be used to find the exact number of dimes and nickels? 

• d + n = 6.60
  .10d + .05n = 80
• d + n = 80
  d + n = 6.60
• d + n = 80
  .10d + .05n = 6.60
• d + n = 80
  .05d + .10n = 6.60

Multiple Choice

David is running a concession stand at a soccer game. He sells nachos and sodas. Nachos cost $1.50 each and sodas cost $0.50 each. At the end of the game, David made a total of $78.50 and sold a total of 87 nachos and sodas combined. Which system of equations represents this situation?

• 1.5x+0.5y=78.5
  x+y=87
• 1.5x+0.5y=78.5
  1.5x+0.5y=87
• x+y=78.5
  1.5x+0.5y=87
• x+y=78.5
  x+y=87