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Function of the Day:

Shopping for Groceries
Christine is looking to help her father prepare dinner for the family. She has a choice of two stores to go pick up a few cans of French style green beans. Both store prices for the green beans are listed below. One store does not carry paper or plastic bags to carry groceries and charges $2 for a canvas bag to carry groceries, while the other provides free bags.

Store A

Number of
Cans
1
2
3
4
5
Total Cost
$3.50
$5
$6.50
$8
$9.50

Store B

Number of
Cans
1
2
3
4
5
Total Cost
$1.50
$3
$4.50
$6
$7.50
What do you know?
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1 answer

Let's analyze the information about the two stores, their pricing for the cans of French-style green beans, and the costs associated with shopping at each store.

Store A Pricing:

  • 1 Can: $3.50
  • 2 Cans: $5.00
  • 3 Cans: $6.50
  • 4 Cans: $8.00
  • 5 Cans: $9.50
  • Bag Cost: $2.00 for a canvas bag (no free bags).

Store B Pricing:

  • 1 Can: $1.50
  • 2 Cans: $3.00
  • 3 Cans: $4.50
  • 4 Cans: $6.00
  • 5 Cans: $7.50
  • Bag Cost: Free bags (no additional charge for carrying groceries).

Key Points to Consider:

  1. Individual Can Pricing: Store B offers cheaper prices for each can compared to Store A.

  2. Total Cost Analysis:

    • If Christine buys 1 can:

      • Store A: $3.50 + $2.00 (bag) = $5.50
      • Store B: $1.50 (free bag) = $1.50

    • If Christine buys 2 cans:

      • Store A: $5.00 + $2.00 (bag) = $7.00
      • Store B: $3.00 (free bag) = $3.00

    • If Christine buys 3 cans:

      • Store A: $6.50 + $2.00 (bag) = $8.50
      • Store B: $4.50 (free bag) = $4.50

    • If Christine buys 4 cans:

      • Store A: $8.00 + $2.00 (bag) = $10.00
      • Store B: $6.00 (free bag) = $6.00

    • If Christine buys 5 cans:

      • Store A: $9.50 + $2.00 (bag) = $11.50
      • Store B: $7.50 (free bag) = $7.50

  3. Overall Cost Comparison:

    • Across all quantities (1 to 5 cans), Store B provides a significantly lower total cost compared to Store A due to both the lower price per can and the lack of a bag fee.

  4. Best Choice: Based on cost alone, Christine should shop at Store B for any quantity of cans since it offers the best price for both the cans and for carrying the groceries.

  5. Decision Factor: Christine should consider the distance to each store, availability, and any other potential factors like brand preference, but from a purely financial perspective, Store B is the superior choice.

  6. Conclusion: For all quantities (1-5 cans), Store B is more economical and should be the preferred store for purchasing French style green beans.

If you have specific questions in mind that you'd like to know or explore further (such as specific calculations or additional scenarios), please let me know!