Question

A metallurgist has one alloy containing 35% titanium and another containing 69% titanium. How many pounds of each alloy must he use to make 53 pounds of a third alloy containing 40% titanium?

Answer 1

Let x be the amount of alloy 1 used, and y be the amount of alloy 2 used.

We know that:

x + y = 53 (total weight of alloy 3 is 53 pounds)

0.35x + 0.69y = 0.40(53) (40% of the alloy 3 is titanium)

We can use the first equation to solve for one of the variables in terms of the other:

y = 53 - x

Substitute this expression into the second equation:

0.35x + 0.69(53-x) = 0.40(53)

0.35x + 36.97 - 0.69x = 21.2

-0.34x = -15.77

x = 46.44 pounds of alloy 1.

y = 53 - x = 6.56 pounds of alloy 2.