16Hit1600
AlgebraMediumStamps of two values

Algebra practice question

Lena buys 24 stamps. Some cost 20 cents each and the rest cost 50 cents each, and she pays $7.80 in total. How many 50-cent stamps does she buy?

Answer: 10

With f fifty-cent stamps: 20(24 − f) + 50f = 780 gives 30f = 300, so f = 10.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 12
12 assumes an even split.
If you answered 14
14 is the number of 20-cent stamps.
If you answered 15.6
15.6 divides 780 by 50, ignoring the cheaper stamps.

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