5 pens and 6 pencils together cost Rs 9 and 3 pens and 2 pencils cost Rs 5. Find the cost of 1 pen and 1 pencil.

Let the cost of 1 pen be ‘a’ and the cost of 1 pencil be ‘b’.


Given, 5 pens and 6 pencils together cost Rs 9.


5a + 6b = 9 --------- (1)


Given, 3 pens and 2 pencils cost Rs 5.


3a + 2b = 5 -------- (2)


Multiplying eq2 by 3 and subtracting eq1 from it.


⇒ 9a + 6b – 5a – 6b = 15 – 9


⇒ 4a = 6


⇒ a = 3/2


Substituting value of 'a' in (1)


⇒ 15/2 + 6b = 9


⇒ 6b = 3/2


⇒ b = 1/4

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