Why can a variable be used to represent a number

Gabriel paints flower pots to sell at a craft fair. she paints 2/5 of a flower pot teal, 1/4 of it yellow, and the rest of it white. what fraction of the pot is painted either teal or yellow?

Carson has only $20 bills and $10 bill in her wallet. the total value of the bills is $50. she has 1 more $20 bill than $10 bills. how many each kind of bill does carson have? a. one $20 and two $10 bills b. two $20 bills and one $10 bill c. one $20 bills and three $10 bills d. two $20 bills and two $10 bills

The following graph shows the consumer price index (cpi) for a fictional country from 1970 to 1980? a.) 1976 - 1978b.) 1972 - 1974c.) 1974 - 1976d.) 1978 - 1980