At a bakery, 2 muffins and 3 cookies cost $13, while 4 muffins and 1 cookie cost $16. What is the cost, in dollars, of one muffin?

Question

Accepted Answer

C. 3.50. Let m = muffin, c = cookie: 2m + 3c = 13 and 4m + c = 16. From the second, c = 16 − 4m; substitute: 2m + 3(16 − 4m) = 13, so 2m + 48 − 12m = 13, −10m = −35, m = 3.50. Choice A (2.50) is the cookie price — solve for what's asked.

Answer

A. 2.50 — Solving the system gives muffin = $3.50 and cookie = $2.00, so 2.50 doesn't fit either item — substitute it back into both equations and you'll see neither holds.

Answer

B. 3.00 — $3.00 works in 4m + c = 16 (with c = 4) but fails 2m + 3c = 13. The price has to satisfy both equations at once, which gives m = 3.50.

Answer

D. 4.00 — 16 ÷ 4 = 4 uses only the second order and treats the cookie as free. You have to combine both equations: eliminating c gives 10m = 35, so m = 3.50.

Algebra practice question

Answer: C. 3.50

Why the other answers are wrong

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