Question

Jeremy’s fruit stand sells peaches and watermelons. In the first hour the fruit stand is open, 12 bushels of peaches and 5 watermelons are sold for a total of $150. In the second hour, 15 bushels of peaches and 8 watermelons are sold for a total of $198. A bushel of peaches costs p dollars, and a watermelon costs w dollars. Which matrix equation represents the situation?

Answer 1

\(\begin{pmatrix}12 & 5\\[4pt]15 & 8\end{pmatrix}\begin{pmatrix}p\\[4pt]w\end{pmatrix}=\begin{pmatrix}150\\[4pt]198\end{pmatrix}\)

(This corresponds to 12p+5w=150 and 15p+8w=198.)