Finding Equal Savings in Weeks

Maria and John are both saving money for a video game console. Maria saves $5 each week, while John saves $7 each week. Maria starts with $10 in her savings, and John starts with $0. They want to know after how many weeks their savings will be equal.

To find the number of weeks, you can set up a system of linear equations. Let $x$ represent the number of weeks. The equations for their savings after $x$ weeks are:

Maria: $$S_M = 5x + 10$$

John: $$S_J = 7x$$

What is the value of $x$ when Maria's savings equal John's savings?