Question

A merchant wants to blend 80 pounds of cacao worth $9.00 a pound from two kinds: one at $11.40 a pound and the other at $7.80 a pound. How many pounds of each kind should he mix?

Answer 1

53 1/3 for $7.80, and 26 2/3 for $11.40

Explanation:

x*11.4=11.4x

(80-x)*7.8=624-7.8

9*80=720

Those three steps are because he wants to make 80 pounds out of $9, $11.40 for a pound, and then a pound for $7.80. Since the total is 80 pounds, it could be 11.4 for x pounds and 7.8 for 80-x pounds. Then the equation is:

11.4x+624-7.8x=720

Simplify:

3.6x=96

Times both times by 10:

36x=960

x=26 2/3

80-x=53 1/3

Answer 2

11.4 mixture:26 and 2/3

7.8 mixture: 53 and 1/3

Step-by-step explanation: Sorry if this is hard to underestand. This is my first answer. This is a RSM question that has been checked.

11.4+7.8=9

x+80-x=80

Multiply

11.4x+624-7.8x=720

3.6x=96

1.2=32

0.6x=16

6x=160

x=26 2/3

80-26 2/3= 53 1.3