Just a fun riddle. Lets say you buy a baseball bat and a baseball. Together, they cost 1.30 dollars. The bat is exactly one dollar more than the ball. How much money does the ball cost?

Step 1: 
Let \(x\) be the cost of the baseball in dollars. 
The bat costs \(x + 1\) dollars. 
 

Step 2:

Together, they cost 1.30 dollars: 
\(x + ( x + 1) = 1.30\). 
 

Step 3:

Simplify the equation: 
\(2x + 1 = 1.30\). 
 

Step 4:

Subtract 1 from both sides: 
\(2x = 0.30\). 
 

Step 5:

Divide both sides by 2: 
\(x = 0.15\). 
 

Step 6:

Therefore, the ball costs 0.15 dollars.

Supplemental Knowledge:

This riddle is a classic example of a simple algebraic word problem. It involves setting up an equation based on the given conditions and solving for the unknown variable.

Steps to Solve: 
1. Let \(x\) be the cost of the baseball. 
2. Since the bat costs one dollar more than the ball, the cost of the bat is \(x + 1\). 
3. The total cost of both items is 1.30 dollars.

We can set up the equation: 
\(x + ( x + 1) = 1.30\)

Concepts to Actions:

Mastery of setting up and solving equations from word problems is an indispensable skill that is often necessary.
Imagine shopping groceries, trying to stay within a set budget while getting all necessary items. Being able to quickly set up and solve such equations enables more informed decision making.

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