Amy has $26 to spend on school supplies. After buying a notebook for $3.50 and 8 pens of equal cost, she had $16.18 left. Write an equation representing the money Amy spent.

26-3.50-8x=16.18

Step-by-step explanation:

To create an equation representing what she spent, we need to start with the money she had and end with the money she has left.

We know that she originally had $26, but when she was done shopping, she had $16.18. To get from $26 to $16.18, you have to subtract the cost. That gives you 26 - [ cost ] = 16.18

We know that she spent $3.50 on a notebook and 8 pens of an unknown cost. The unknown cost can be represented by x. To find the total cost, you must add the costs of what she bought together. That gives you 3.50 - 8x.

Plug the expression of the cost into the equation, and boom it's done.

26 - 3.50 - 8x = 16.18