Bat and ball
Can you work out how much this bat costs?
Problem
A ball and a bat cost £90 in total. Three balls and two bats cost £210 in total.
How much does a bat cost?
This problem is taken from the UKMT Mathematical Challenges.
Student Solutions
Answer: £60
Using the cost of 3 balls and 3 bats
If one ball and one bat cost £90, then three balls and three bats cost £90$\times$3 = £270.
Three balls and two bats cost £210, and £210 + £60 = £270.
So the extra bat must cost £60.
Using simultaneous equations
Let a bat cost £$a$ and a ball cost £$b$. Then $a + b = 90$, and $3b + 2a = 210$.
Solving by elimination
Looking for $a$ so eliminate $b$
Multiply both sides by $3$:
$a+b=90\Rightarrow 3a+3b=270$.
Subtracting $3b+2a=210$ from $3a+3b=270$ gives $3a+3b-(3b+2a)=270-210,$ so $3a+3b-3b-2a=60,$ so $a=60.$ So a bat costs £$60.$
Solving by substitution
Looking for $a$ so express $b$ in terms of $a$
$a+b=90\Rightarrow b=90-a.$ Substituting this into $3b + 2a = 210$ gives $3(90-a)+2a=210.$ Expanding, simplifying and rearranging, $$\begin{align}3(90-a)+2a=&210
\\\Rightarrow 270-3a+2a=&210\\
\Rightarrow270-a=&210\\
\Rightarrow 60=&a\end{align}$$ So a bat costs £$60$.