8) Emma buys tickets for two plays. Tickets for the school play are \( \$ 15 \) each, and tickets for the community theater play are \( \$ 50 \) each. Emma purchases a total of 12 tickets. Let \( y \) represent the number of tickets Emma buys for the school play. How can you express the total cost of the tickets Emma buys for both plays?

To express the total cost of the tickets Emma buys for both plays, follow these steps: 1. **Define the Variables:** - Let \( y \) represent the number of tickets Emma buys for the **school play**. - Since Emma buys a total of 12 tickets, the number of tickets for the **community theater play** is \( 12 - y \). 2. **Calculate the Cost for Each Play:** - **School Play:** Each ticket costs \$15, so the total cost is \( 15y \). - **Community Theater Play:** Each ticket costs \$50, so the total cost is \( 50(12 - y) \). 3. **Combine the Costs:** - The **total cost** for all tickets is the sum of the costs for both plays: \[ 15y + 50(12 - y) \] **Final Expression:** \[ \text{Total Cost} = 15y + 50(12 - y) \] This expression calculates the total amount Emma spends based on the number of school play tickets she purchases. **Answer:** After simplifying, the total cost is 15 y plus 50 times (12 minus y). In symbols, 15 y + 50(12 – y)