Choose the better buy. $12.95 for 3 pounds of nuts or $21.45 for 5 pounds of nuts.

Express and compare the unit rates.

1 answer

To find the better buy, we need to calculate the unit price (price per pound) for both options.

  1. For the first option:

    • Price: $12.95
    • Weight: 3 pounds
    • Unit price = \( \frac{12.95}{3} \) ≈ $4.32 per pound
  2. For the second option:

    • Price: $21.45
    • Weight: 5 pounds
    • Unit price = \( \frac{21.45}{5} \) = $4.29 per pound

Now, we compare the unit prices:

  • First option: $4.32 per pound
  • Second option: $4.29 per pound

The second option ($21.45 for 5 pounds of nuts) is the better buy, as it has a lower unit price of $4.29 per pound compared to $4.32 per pound in the first option.