To find the price of a taco and the price of a burrito, we can set up a system of equations. Let's define:
- \( b \) = price of a burrito
- \( t \) = price of a taco
Based on the information provided, we can set up the following two equations:
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For the first scenario (2 burritos and 5 tacos): \[ 2b + 5t = 19.50 \]
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For the second scenario (5 burritos and 2 tacos): \[ 5b + 2t = 22.50 \]
Now we can solve this system of equations. We'll start with the first equation:
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\( 2b + 5t = 19.50 \)
- Multiply the entire equation by 2 to make elimination easier later: \[ 4b + 10t = 39.00 \quad \text{(Equation 1')} \]
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The second equation is: \[ 5b + 2t = 22.50 \quad \text{(Equation 2)} \]
Next, we can multiply the second equation by 5 to align it with Equation 1': \[ 25b + 10t = 112.50 \quad \text{(Equation 2')} \]
Now we can subtract Equation 1' from Equation 2': \[ (25b + 10t) - (4b + 10t) = 112.50 - 39.00 \] \[ 21b = 73.50 \] \[ b = \frac{73.50}{21} = 3.50 \]
Now that we have the price of a burrito, we can substitute \( b \) back into one of the original equations to find the price of a taco. Using the first equation: \[ 2b + 5t = 19.50 \]
Substituting \( b = 3.50 \): \[ 2(3.50) + 5t = 19.50 \] \[ 7.00 + 5t = 19.50 \] \[ 5t = 19.50 - 7.00 \] \[ 5t = 12.50 \] \[ t = \frac{12.50}{5} = 2.50 \]
Thus, the prices are:
- Price of a burrito (\( b \)) = $3.50
- Price of a taco (\( t \)) = $2.50