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Solve.

REMODELING Latisha had a budget of $255.50 to remodel her bedroom. She wants to spend half of that on fabric and then equally divide the rest of the budget three ways for storage, posters, and stuffed animals. How much could she spend on each of those items?

Understand Read the problem. Write what you know.

Latisha’s budget was $255.60. She spent half on fabric. She wants to divide the rest up in 3 ways.

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Plan Pick a strategy. One strategy to use is to write an equation. Then solve the equation.

She already spent half of her budget so she

already spent × $255.60, or $127.80.

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Solve Let b = the amount spent on each of the remaining objects.

$ spent on animals

totalbudget=

$ spenton fabric +

$ spent on storage

$ spent on posters + +

Use inverse operations

255.60 = 127.80 + b + b + b

255.60 = 127.80 + 3b–127.80 –127.80127.80 = 3b

127.80 = 3b 3 3 42.60 = b

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Check Add the amounts she budgeted for each category to check that the total is $255.60.

$127.80 + $42.60 + $42.60 + $42.60 = $255.80