Adult tickets for a play cost $18 and child tickets cost $12. If there were 20 people at a performance and the theatre collected $246 from ticket sales, how many adults and how many children attended the play?

Answer 1

c + a = 20 so c = 20-a

12 c + 18 a = 246

12(20-a) + 18 a = 246

240 -12 a + 18 a = 246 etc

Answer 2

x = adults
20 - x = children

18(x) + 12(20-x) = 246

12x + 240 - 12x = 246

Simplify: 6x = 6

So x = 1 adult

20 - 1 = 19 children :)