Question

Three friends share the cost of a renting game system. Each person also rents one game for $8.50. If each person pays $13.25, what is the cost of the renting system?

Answer 1

So each person's share of the renting system = 13.25 - 8.50 = 4.75
each of the three paid that, so the renting system cost $4.75 * 3 = ...

Answer 2

Game system cost = $X,
x/3 + 8.50 = 13.25,
x/3 = 4.75,
X = $14.25.