Mason compares two plans for an online book club.

Which equation can be used to solve for the number of books, , for which the cost of Plan equals Plan ?

To compare the two plans, you’ll want to set up equations for each plan. Suppose Plan A costs and is structured as , where is the cost per book and is a fixed fee. For Plan B, let’s say it costs , with as its cost per book and as the fixed fee.

To find the number of books where these costs are equal, you set . So the equation to solve will look like this: . Rearranging this gives you the perfect way to determine how many books need to be read for both plans to cost the same!

Comparing costs like this can save you money in the long run! After solving the equation, if you find to be, say, 10 books, then you can feel confident that you won’t be overspending on your online book club of choice. Just don’t forget to factor in any potential membership benefits that may tip the scales in favor of one plan over the other!