What is the price of each type of tree?

Question

The cost of 3 maple trees and 4 elm trees is $85.00. If I buy 5 maple trees and 6 elm trees it costs $135. What is the price of each type of tree?

Answer 1

make two equations 5m+6e=135 and 3m+4e=85....you want to cancel either m or e so multiply the first equation by -3 and the second by 5

-15m-18e=-405 1st equation
15m+20e=425 2nd equation subtract the two
0+2e=20
2e=20
e=10 plug this into one of the original equations
5m+6*10=135
5m+60=135
5m=75
m=15