Problem 90 - Introductory Algebra for College Students

Question

If a slice of cheese contains \(x\) calories and a glass of wine contains \(y\) calories, write an algebraic expression for the number of calories in 3 slices of cheese and 2 glasses of wine.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The algebraic expression for the total calories in 3 slices of cheese and 2 glasses of wine is \(3x + 2y\).

Step 1: Identify Variables

Given in the problem, there are two variables i.e., 'x', the calories in a slice of cheese and 'y', the calories in a glass of wine.

Step 2: Write Expression for Cheese

Since it's given that 1 slice of cheese contains \(x\) calories, for 3 slices of cheese, the total calories will be \(3x\) because it's the product of the number of slices and the calories in one slice.

Step 3: Write Expression for Wine

It's stated that 1 glass of wine contains \(y\) calories. Therefore, for 2 glasses of wine, the total calories will be \(2y\). This is because it's the product of the number of glasses and the calories in one glass.

Step 4: Combine the Expressions

As we're supposed to find the total calories in '3 slices of cheese' and '2 glasses of wine', it will be the sum of the two expressions given above, i.e., \(3x + 2y\)