The total cost of a pair of shoes and a belt was $71.57. If the price of the pair of shoes was $1.79 less than the belt, what was the price of the pair of shoes? Express your answer as a simplified fraction or a decimal rounded to two places.
$71.57
Let x = price of belt
shoes = (price of belt) - $1.79 = x - 1.79
total = $71.57
(x - 1.79) + x = 71.57
2x - 1.79 = 71.57
2x = 71.57 + 1.79
2x = 73.36
(2x)/2 = (73.36)/2
x = 36.68 (this is the price of the belt)
shoes = (price of belt) - $1.79 = x - 1.79 = 36.68 - 1.79 = $34.89