3 pounds of squash and 2 pounds of eggplant cost $2.85. The cost of 4 pounds of squash and 5 pounds of eggplant is $5.41. What is the cost of each pound?

Question

3p + 2e = $2.85
4p + 5p = $5.41

Answer? .58 cents a pound

Answer 1

3p + 2e = $2.85
4p + 5e = $5.41

Multiply top equation by 5 and bottom by 2.

15p + 10e = 14.25
8p + 10e = 10.82

Subtract bottom equation from top and solve for p. Then use top original equation to solve for e. Insert both values into bottom original equation to check answers.