Question

Joanie wants to mail a package that requires ​$1.04 in postage. If she has only 5​-cent and 6​-cent ​stamps, what is the smallest number of stamps she could use that would total exactly ​$1.04​?

Answer 1

We have been given that Joanie wants to mail a package that requires ​$1.04 in postage.

She has only 5​-cent and 6​-cent ​stamps.

Let us assume that she uses x 5-cent stamps and y 6-cent stamps. Therefore, we can set up an equation:

`5x+6y=104`

We need to figure out integer values of x and y such that their sum, that is, (x+y) is minimum.

In order to do so, we would be requiring at least four 5-cent stamps.

Therefore, number of 6-cent stamps would be:

`5(4)+6y=104\\20+6y=104\\6y=84\\y=(84)/(6)=14`

Therefore, the smallest number of stamps would be 14+4 = 18 stamps