[Oberon]

I’m inclined to say “A nickel,” meaning that the ball costs 5 cents and the bat costs a dollar and five cents, making the bat cost a dollar more than the ball.

[ConservativeDude]

I’d be inclined to say, “we don’t know” because we don’t know if there is a market for balls when not paired with bats.....

[reformedliberal]

And you’d be correct.

[SeekAndFind]

Formally,

Let X be the price of the bat and
Let Y be the price of the ball.

X+Y=1.10 -— Eq 1
X-Y=1.00 -— Eq 2

Solve the equation simultaenously:

2X=2.10 (Step 2)
X= 1.05 (step 3)

From Eq 2:

1.05-Y= 1.00 (Step 4) (substitute 1.05 for X )

Y= 1.05-1.00 = .05 (Step 5)

Therefore:

X (Price of bat) = 1.05
Y (Price of ball) = .05

(Of course, in an actual TIMED test, you have to act fast and don’t have the luxury of doing the above ).

[Hot Tabasco]

Even with the answer AND the explanation I couldn't grasp the concept.

Guess that's why I never went to college.....

[ro_dreaming]

I was trying to figure in the 8.25% tax, so got my number completely off.

[newfreep]

The most important part of the article....

"Many thousands of university students have answered the bat-and-ball puzzle, and the results are shocking. More than 50% of students at Harvard, MIT, and Princeton gave the intuitive—incorrect—answer. At less selective universities, the rate of demonstrable failure to check was in excess of 80%."

Higher education? I don't think so!