How Much Did They Cost? Mr. Nelson went to Taco Town to get lunch for the eighth-grade teachers one day when they were
having a grade-level meeting. He bought eight tacos and five burritos, and the total cost before tax was
$13.27. On the day of the next grade-level meeting, he went back to Taco Town and got six tacos and
seven burritos for a cost of $14.47 before tax. The teachers now want to pay Mr. Nelson, but Mr. Nelson
doesn't remember how much one taco costs or how much one burrito costs.
Ms. Payne tells the teachers that there is enough information to figure out how much a taco costs and
how much a burrito costs and that she will get one of her math students to do the calculation by setting
up a system of equations. She has chosen you to do the work. Find the cost of one taco and the cost of
one burrito, showing your work in arriving at the answer.
Show your work, and provide a written explanation to present to the eighth-grade teachers so that
they will understand how you solved the problem. These teachers have no idea how to solve a
system. (This part is essential for your grade).
*EXPLAIN means provide several sentences of what you did to solve the problem and WHY.
Hint: One variable must stand for tacos, and one stands for burritos (Identify which one stands for
which variable). Solve using the Elimination Method.