Kendra is choosing bouquets of flowers for table centerpieces.

Question

She decides to buy 40 bouquets for $120 because she thinks that price is a better value than 40 bouquets for $2.50 each.

Explain Kendra’s error.

Answer 1

Kendra's error lies in her misunderstanding of the cost of the bouquets.

When she considers buying 40 bouquets for $120, the cost per bouquet can be calculated as:

$$\text{Cost per bouquet}=\frac{120}{40}=3$$

This means each bouquet costs $3.

On the other hand, if she buys 40 bouquets at $2.50 each, the total cost is:

$$\text{Total cost}=40\times 2.50=100$$

So, in this scenario, each bouquet costs $2.50, and the total cost for 40 bouquets is $100.

In summary, Kendra mistakenly thinks that spending $120 for 40 bouquets is a better deal, while in reality, spending $100 for the same number of bouquets at $2.50 each is the better value. Therefore, the error is in not accurately comparing the total costs based on the per-bouquet price.