Question

Chocolates costing $8 per pound are to be mixed with chocolates costing $3 per pound to make a 20 pound mixture. If the mixture is to sell for $5 per pound, how many pounds of each chocolate should be used? Which of the following equations could be used to solve the problem? 8x + 3x = 5(20) 8x + 3(20) = 5(x + 20) 8x + 3(20 - x) = 5(20)

Answer 1

8x + 3(20 - x) = 5(20)

Explanation:

If x represents the number of pounds of $8 chocolates, then (20-x) is the number of pounds of $3 chocolates. The cost of the mix attributable to the $8 chocolates will be 8x, and the cost associated with the $3 chocolates will be 3(20-x). The sum of these costs is the cost of the 20 pounds of mix: $5×20.

In equation form, this is ...

8x + 3(20-x) = 5(20)

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The solution is x=8, so 8 lb of $8 chocolates should be mixed with 12 lb of $3 chocolates to make a mix worth $5 per pound.