At a market, 9 pears cost $y and 12 apples cost $1 less than 9 pears. Mrs. Tham bought 45 pears and 24 apples. What was the total amount Mrs. Tham pay?

Answer 1

since total cost = $/fruit * #fruit, we have
y/9 * 45 + (y-1)/12 * 24 = 5y + 2(y-1) = ____