Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyTranslating and Solving Algebraic Word Problems

An online store sells digital songs for $1.20\$1.20 each. A customer uses a discount code to get $3.00\$3.00 off the total purchase. If the customer's total cost after using the discount code is $15.00\$15.00, how many digital songs did the customer purchase?

Answer: 15 songs

Answer

The customer purchased 15 songs.
The word problem translates directly to the linear equation 1.20s−3.00=15.001.20s - 3.00 = 15.00, where ss is the number of songs. Adding 3.003.00 to both sides of the equation yields 1.20s=18.001.20s = 18.00. Dividing both sides by 1.201.20 yields s=15s = 15.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Define the variable and set up the equation.
Let ss be the number of digital songs purchased. The cost of ss songs is 1.20s1.20s. Subtracting the discount of $3.00\$3.00 gives the equation: 1.20s−3.00=15.001.20s - 3.00 = 15.00.
We must represent the cost of the songs and the discount algebraically to equal the final payment.
2
Isolate the variable term.
1.20s=18.001.20s = 18.00
Adding 3.003.00 to both sides of the equation simplifies the equation by canceling the subtraction of 3.003.00.
3
Solve for the variable.
s=15s = 15
Dividing both sides of the equation by 1.201.20 isolates ss to find the total number of songs.

Key Concept

Translating real-world scenarios with linear relationships into algebraic equations and solving them.
Rate this question

Topics

Translating and Solving Algebraic Word Problems

More questions from this topic