133k views
4 votes
A chemist wants to make 14 liters of a 40% acid solution. She has solutions that are 30% acid and 65% acid. How much of each must she mix?

User Desorder
by
6.9k points

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

To find out how much of the 30% acid and 65% acid solutions are needed to make 14 liters of a 40% acid solution, solve the system of equations derived from the mixture's requirements.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is looking to make 14 liters of a 40% acid solution using solutions with concentrations of 30% acid and 65% acid. Let's call the amount of the 30% solution needed x liters, and the amount of the 65% solution needed y liters. We are trying to solve the following system of equations:

  • 30% of x + 65% of y = 40% of 14
  • x + y = 14

To solve for x and y, we need to strategically manipulate and combine these equations. By converting percentages to decimals, the equations become:

  • 0.30x + 0.65y = 0.40 * 14
  • x + y = 14

Solving the system of equations will give us the exact amount of each solution needed to make the desired acid mixture.

User Ianmunoz
by
8.0k points