Step-by-Step Solution
- Step 1: Start with the first equation: Three pairs of shoes add up to 30. Dividing this by 3 gives us that one pair of shoes equals 10. Therefore, one shoe equals 5.
- Step 2: Move on to the second equation: A boy plus a boy plus a pair of shoes equals 20. Subtracting the shoes (worth 10), we’re left with 10, so each boy equals 5.
- Step 3: Next, in the third equation, two cones plus two cones plus a boy equals 13. We already know the boy equals 5, so the two cones must equal 8. Therefore, one cone equals 2.
The final equation: The final equation requires close attention. You’ll notice that in the last image, there’s:
- One shoe (worth 5)
- A boy (worth 5) but he’s wearing shoes (2 x 5 = 10) and holding cones (2 x 2 = 4)
So, the equation becomes: Shoe + (Boy + Shoes + Cones) x Cone = 5 + (5 + 10 + 4) x 2 = 5 + 19 x 2 = 5 + 38 = 43.
