1. **State the problem:** Jake paid 13.50 for admission and bought 9 tickets, spending a total of 36. We need to find the cost $c$ of one ticket. 2. **Write the equation:** Total cost = Admission + (Number of tickets) \times (Cost per ticket) $$36 = 13.50 + 9c$$ 3. **Isolate the variable $c$:** Subtract 13.50 from both sides: $$36 - 13.50 = 9c$$ $$22.50 = 9c$$ 4. **Solve for $c$:** Divide both sides by 9: $$c = \frac{22.50}{9}$$ Show cancellation: $$c = \frac{\cancel{22.50}}{\cancel{9}} = 2.50$$ 5. **Answer:** The cost of one ticket is $2.50$. This means each ticket costs two dollars and fifty cents.