Problema Solution
A man bought a horse and carriage for $500, paying three times as much for the carriage as for the horse. How much did each cost?
Answer provided by our tutors
The horse cost $1x. Thus the carriage cost 3(1x) = 3x. The sum of both costs is $500 so:
$1x + $3x = $500.
$1x + $3x = $4x and $1x + $3x = $500, so $4x = $500.
Dividing both sides by 4, we get that x = $500/4 = $125
So since the horse costs 1x, the horse costs 1*$125 = $125.
And since the carriage cost 3x, the carriage costs 3*$125 = $375.
$125 + $375 = $500, so these answers are correct.