Carina spent a total of $5.27 buying a pineapple for $3.40 and some tomatoes that were on sale for $0.85 per pound. To determine the number of pounds of tomatoes that she bought, x, Carina wrote and solved the equation as shown below.

Question

Carina spent a total of $5.27 buying a pineapple for $3.40 and some tomatoes that were on sale for $0.85 per pound. To determine the number of pounds of tomatoes that she bought, x, Carina wrote and solved the equation as shown below.

3.40 + 0.85 x = 5.27. 0.85 x = 8.67. x = 10.2 pounds.

Where, if anywhere, did Carina make an error?
Carina did not make any errors.
The initial equation that Carina wrote was incorrect.
Carina should have subtracted 3.40 from 5.27.
Carina should have divided 8.67 by 0.85.

Answer 1

Carina made an error when solving the equation. The correct solution should be 0.85x = 1.87, not 0.85x = 8.67. This means Carina did not need to divide 8.67 by 0.85, as that was not the correct value she had originally calculated.