This is a challenge problem…
You can use the number lines to solve Felix’s problem.
Felix went to the mall to find the best price on blue jeans. At the first store, Blue Jeans Plus, the sale price is $19.95 per pair. The second store, Mr. Green Jeans, has a deal when you buy three pairs of jeans you get the first pair at the regular price, the second pair for 15% off and the third pair for 20% off. Felix went to the mall on Saturday and could not figure out which store he should buy his jeans from so he bought some jeans from both stores with the idea that he will return the jeans that cost the most. That weekend Felix spent a total of $113.75 at the mall on 6 pairs of jeans.
1. What is the price of one pair of jeans at Mr. Green Jeans?
2. If the price per pair of jeans at Mr. Green Jeans was $22.00 which store has the best deal?
3. Find the store that Felix should take the jeans back to. Try to explain your reasoning using number lines.
4. If Felix wanted to buy two pairs of jeans where should he shop?
YOU CAN USE NUMBER LINES TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? I’m sure you can, but why or why in the heck would you want to? How about a little algebra, it’s a perfect application don’t you thing?
Talk about going back to the stone age!
Note: This is actually a challenge problem in a geometry class. For whatever reason they are reviewing fractions and decimals with the Algebra I class. The Algebra I class may not yet have learned enough tools to do this problem using Algebra techniques but the geometry students sure should.
