The produce department at a grocery store makes fruit baskets of apples, bananas, and oranges. The cost for each apple is $.85, for each banana is $.20, and for each orange is $.76. Suppose each basket needs to have 18 pieces of fruit and costs $9 to make. How many apples, bananas, and oranges are in each basket if the number of bananas in each basket is the same as the number of apples and oranges together?

Let a, b, and o be the numbers of apples, bananas, and oranges.


each basket needs to have 18 pieces of fruit
a + b + o = 18


costs $9 to make
0.85a + 0.20b + 0.76o = 9


the number of bananas in each basket is the same as the number of apples and oranges together
b = a + o

There you go. Three equations and three unknowns. Do you know how to solve them now?