Please help me with this elementary word problem! I really don't get it and my teachers didn't explain it!?

Together a baseball and a football weigh 2.25 pounds,

the baseball and a soccer ball weigh 1.40 pounds,

and the football and the soccer ball weigh 2.45 pounds.

How much does each of the balls weigh?

b + f = 2.25 lb, b + s = 1.40 lb, and f + s = 2.45 lb

2b + 2f + 2s = 6.10 lb

b + f + s = 3.05 lb

s = 0.80 lb, f = 1.65 lb, and b = 0.60 lb.

It's an algebra question about solving a system of equation. My initial thought was to draw a Venn diagram, but that's not really a helpful approach.

You have 3 equations in 3 unknowns.

(1) B + F = 2.25

(2) F + S = 2.45

(3) B + S = 1.4

Subtract (2) from (1) to get

(4) B - S = - 0.20

Add (3) and (4) to get 2B = 1.2

Therefore B = 0.6

So (1) gives you F = 1.65.

And (3) gives you S = 0.8

already answered

b + f = 2.25

b + s = 1.4

f + s = 2.45

b + f = 2.25

–b – s = –1.4

add

f – s = 0.85

f + s = 2.45

add

2f = 3.3

f = 1.65 ⬅

s = 2.45 – f = 0.80 ⬅

b = 2.25 – f = 0.60 ⬅

check

b + f = 2.25

1.45 + 0.60 = 2.25 ok

b + s = 1.4

0.60 + 0.8 = 1.4 ok

f + s = 2.45

1.65 + 0.8 = 2.45 ok

All you have to do is divide each number into 2.

2.25 divided by 2 = 1.125 pounds

1.40 divided by 2 = 0.7 pounds

2.45 divided by 2 = 1.225 pounds

dank memes

Answered elsewhere already:

B = 0.60

S = 0.80

F = 1.65