Expert: Chanda Walker - 1/21/2009

Question
At a local theater, adult tickets cost $8 and student tickets cost $5. At a recent show, 500 tickets were sold for a total of $3,475. How many adult tickets were sold?

Answer
We set up the equations like this:
a + s = 500
a*8 + s*5 = 3475

(500 -s)*8 + s*5 = 3475
4000 - 3s = 3475
525 = 3s
175 = s

a = 500 - 175
a = 325

Let's check this to make sure it is right.

325*8 + 175*5 ? 3475
2600 + 875 ? 3475
3475 = 3475

There you go!