L+M=250
3/5 L = M-40
Now we can substitute for M, and we get
3/5 L = 250-L-40
8/5 L = 210
L = 131.25
3/5 L = M-40
Now we can substitute for M, and we get
3/5 L = 250-L-40
8/5 L = 210
L = 131.25
According to the problem, Lexi spent 2/5 of her money, which means she had 3/5 of her money left. So, Lexi had (3/5)x dollars remaining.
Maria, on the other hand, spent $40 and ended up with the same amount of money as Lexi. This means Maria's money remaining is also (3/5)x dollars.
Together, Lexi and Maria had $250, so we can add their remaining amounts:
(3/5)x + (3/5)x = $250
Now, let's solve the equation:
(6/5)x = $250 (we multiplied both sides by 5/3 to get rid of the fraction)
6x = 250 * 5 (we multiplied both sides by 5 to isolate x)
6x = $1250
x = $1250 / 6 (we divided both sides by 6)
x ≈ $208.33 (rounded to two decimal places)
Therefore, Lexi had approximately $208.33 in the beginning.