Yellowstone National Park is a popular field trip destination. This year the senior class at High School A and the senior class at High School B both planned trips there. The senior class at High School A rented and filled 9 vans and 4 buses with 256 students. High School B rented and filled 8 vans and 8 buses with 392 students. Every van had the same number of students in it as did the buses. Find the number of students in each van and in each bus.
v = van
b = bus
\(\begin{array}{lcl} A && B \\ \hline 9\text{ vans} && 8\text{ vans} \\ 4\text{ buses} && 8\text{ buses} \\ \hline =256 \text{ students} && =392 \text{ students} \end{array}\)
\(\begin{array}{lrclclrcl} (1)& 9v+4b &=& 256 \quad |\quad:4 && (2) & 8v+8b &=& 392 \quad |\quad : 8 \\ &2.25v+b&=&64 && & v+b &=& 49 \\ \hline \\ (1)-(2) & 2.25v+b - (v+b) &=& 64-49\\ & 2.25v+b -v-b &=& 15\\ & 1.25v &=& 15 \quad |\quad : 1.25 \\ & v &=& \frac{15}{ 1.25} \\ & \mathbf{v} &\mathbf{=}& \mathbf{12} \\ \hline \\ (2) & v+b &=& 49 \\ & 12+b &=& 49 \quad |\quad -12 \\ & b &=& 49-12\\ & \mathbf{b} &\mathbf{=}& \mathbf{37} \end{array}\)
Check:
9*12 + 4*37 = 256 Okay
8*12 + 8*37 = 392 Okay