Question 119·Medium·Linear Equations in Two Variables
The equation represents the total printing time, in minutes, needed to produce posters and postcards at a print shop. If the shop produces posters, how many postcards can it produce in the same amount of time?
For linear-equation word problems like this, first identify what each coefficient and variable represents (here, minutes per poster and per postcard, and total minutes). Substitute the given value into the equation, simplify carefully, and then isolate the remaining variable using inverse operations. Pay special attention to decimals like 0.5: remember that dividing by 0.5 is the same as multiplying by 2, which can speed up mental calculations and reduce arithmetic errors.
Hints
Use the information about posters
You know the shop produces 6 posters. Replace with 6 in the equation to see how much time the posters use.
Isolate the postcard term
After you substitute , simplify and then move that result to the other side of the equation to get an equation with only on the left side.
Handle the 0.5 correctly
Once you have an equation like , remember that dividing by is the same as multiplying by 2.
Desmos Guide
Compute the number of postcards directly
In a new Desmos expression line, type (60 - 4*6)/0.5 and press Enter. The output is the value of , the number of postcards that can be printed in the same amount of time as 6 posters.
Step-by-step Explanation
Substitute the given number of posters
We are told the shop produces posters, so substitute into the equation :
This represents the total printing time when 6 posters and postcards are produced.
Simplify the equation
First, multiply :
Now isolate the term by subtracting 24 from both sides:
Solve for the number of postcards
Now solve by dividing both sides by :
Dividing by is the same as multiplying by 2, so .
Therefore, the shop can produce 72 postcards, which corresponds to answer choice D.