Two friends shop for fresh fruit. Elana buys a watermelon for $8.75 and 5 pounds of cherries. Taniy buys a pineapple for $4.25 and 4 pounds of cherries. Use the variable p to represent the price, in dollars, per pound of cherries. Write and simplify an expression to represent how much more Elana spent.

Answer: 4.50 + p

Step-by-step explanation: For this problem we will write and simplify an expression to represent how much more Elana spent.

8.75 + 5p - (4.25 + 4p) - --Distribute the negative sign to the numbers inside the parentheses.

8.75 + 5p - 4.25 - 4p - --Combine like terms

8.75 - 4.25 + 5p - 4p

4.50 + p

So, the expression 4.50 + p represents how much more Elana spent.