Melanie purchases 6 basketballs and 2 volleyballs for $114. A volleyball cost her $3 less than a basketball. How much did each volleyball cost?

a volleyball is $16.5

Step-by-step explanation:

6b+2v= 114

v=b-3

6b+2(b-3)= 114

6b + 2b - 6

8b - 6 = 114

8b = 108

b= 13.5

substitute b in

6(13.5) + 2v = 114

81 + 2v = 114

2v = 33

v= 16.5

the mistake in the pattern is that :

b. the decimal point was moved one too many place values each time

the correct pattern could be made by :

b. moving the decimal point to the right the same numbers of place values as the exponents