Question

Two friends are saving money for a new basketball hoop. The first friend has $120 in savings and will save $30 each month. The second friend has $50 in savings and will save $75 each month. When will they save an equal amount? Which equation below models this situation correctly?

Answer 1

The friends will save an equal amount after approximately 1.56 months.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first friend is saving $30 each month, starting with $120 in savings. The second friend is saving $75 each month, starting with $50 in savings. To find when they will save an equal amount, we need to set up an equation. Let's use t as the number of months:

First friend's savings = $120 + $30t

Second friend's savings = $50 + $75t

To find when they are equal, we set the two equations equal to each other and solve for t: $120 + $30t = $50 + $75t

Now, let's solve for t: $120 - $50 = $75t - $30t

$70 = $45t

Divide both sides by $45:

t = $70 / $45

So, they will save an equal amount after approximately 1.56 months.