A photo lab charges a one-time setup fee plus a cost of $0.35 per print. Maya orders 60 prints and...

1. TRANSLATE the problem information

• Given information:
  • Cost per print: $0.35
  • Number of prints: 60
  • Total charge: $26.00
  • Need to find: setup fee

• What this tells us: The total cost has two parts - a one-time setup fee plus the variable printing cost

2. TRANSLATE into a mathematical equation

• Let \(\mathrm{s}\) = setup fee (in dollars)
• The cost structure is: Total = Setup fee + (Cost per print × Number of prints)
• This gives us: \(\mathrm{s + 0.35(60) = 26.00}\)

3. SIMPLIFY by calculating the printing cost

• Per-print subtotal: \(\mathrm{0.35 \times 60 = 21.00}\)
• Our equation becomes: \(\mathrm{s + 21.00 = 26.00}\)

4. SIMPLIFY to solve for the setup fee

• Subtract 21.00 from both sides: \(\mathrm{s = 26.00 - 21.00}\)
• Therefore: \(\mathrm{s = 5.00}\)

Answer: B. $5.00

Why Students Usually Falter on This Problem

Most Common Error Path:

Weak TRANSLATE skills: Students might confuse what they're solving for and think they need to find the total printing cost instead of the setup fee.

They calculate \(\mathrm{0.35 \times 60 = 21.00}\) correctly but then select this as their final answer, not realizing this is only the variable cost portion. This leads them to select Choice C ($21.00).

Second Most Common Error:

Poor SIMPLIFY execution: Students set up the equation correctly but make arithmetic errors.

Common mistakes include miscalculating \(\mathrm{0.35 \times 60}\) (getting 35.00 instead of 21.00) or making subtraction errors. If they calculate the printing cost as $35.00, then \(\mathrm{26.00 - 35.00}\) gives a negative result, leading to confusion and guessing.

The Bottom Line:

This problem requires careful attention to what the question is asking for (setup fee, not printing cost) and accurate arithmetic with decimals. The key insight is recognizing that the total cost breaks down into two distinct components.