The movie theater sells child tickets for $1 and adult tickets for $2 during the matinee. regular admission is $4 for a child and $6 for an adult. if the matinee made $41 and regular made $158, how many children and adults went to the movies?

The were 35 child tickets sold and 3 adult tickets sold. 

How did I get this?
First, let's look at what we know.
Matinee
(C)hild ticket = $1    
(A)cult ticket = $2

Regular
(C)hild ticket = $4    
(A)cult ticket = $6

2. We need to make two equations out of this:
1C + 2A = $41
4C + 6A = $158

The variables represent the amount of tickets, which is the unknown. 

3. Process of elimination, multiply the first equation by -3 because we want to cancel out one set of variables. 

-3(1C + 2A = 41)

-3C - 6A = -123
4C + 6A = 158
C = 35 child tickets

Substitute the value c into any one of the equations

1(35) + 2(A) = $41
$35 + 2A = $41
Subtract both sides by $35.

2A = $6
Divide by 2
A = 3 adult tickets