Mrs. Albert bought 2 television sets, 1 vacuum cleaner and 1 microwave oven for $849 during the Mother's Day Sale. Each television set cost $19 more than the vacuum cleaner. Each microwave oven cost half as much as the television set. How much did the vacuum cleaner cost?
Cost of the vacuum cleaner = 1 u
Cost of the television set = 1 u + 19
Cost of the microwave oven = ¹₂(1 u + 19) = 0.5 u + 9.5

Amount that Mrs. Albert spent during the Mother's Day sale
= 1 u + 2 x (1 u + 19) + 1 x (0.5 u + 9.5)
= 1 u + 2 u + 38 + 0.5 u + 9.5
= 3.5 u + 47.5

3.5 u + 47.5 = 849
3.5 u = 849 - 47.5 = 801.5

1 u = 801.5 ÷ 3.5 = 229

Cost of the vacuum cleaner
= 1 u
= $229

Answer(s): $229