# Difference between revisions of "2014 UNM-PNM Statewide High School Mathematics Contest II Problems/Problem 1"

## Problem

Four siblings BRYAN, BARRY, SARAH and SHANA are having their names monogrammed on their towels. Different letters may cost different amounts to monogram. If it costs $\textdollar{21}$ to monogram BRYAN, $\textdollar{25}$ to monogram BARRY and $\textdollar{18}$ to monogram SARAH, how much does it cost to monogram SHANA?

## Solution

We set up the following equations:

$b+r+y+a+n= 21$

$b+a+2r+y= 25$

$s+2a+r+h= 18$

We are asked to find the price of "Shana", or $s+h+2a+n$. We notice that this expression has no $b$ or $y$, so we subtract the first equation from the second to eliminate those variables:

$r-n=4$

$r=n+4$

Which we substitute into the third equation

$s+2a+n+4+h=18$.

$s+2a+n+h=14$.

This matches the expression we need to solve for, so we are done. $\boxed{14}$.

## Slick Solution

BRYAN, SARAH is an anagram of BARRY, SHANA. Let SHANA be $x$. So we have the following equation: $$21+18=25+x\rightarrow \boxed{x=14}$$

~yofro