Question

A chemist needs 50 mL of a 16% salt solution for an experiment. She can only find a 13% salt solution and an 18% salt solution in the supply room. How many milliliters of the 13% solution should be mixed with the 18% solution to produce

the desired amount of the 16% solution?

Answer 1

Explanation:

X+Y = 50

0.13X + 0.18Y = 0.16*50 = 8

0.13X + 0.18(50-X) = 8

0.13X + 9 - 0.18X = 8

-0.05X = -1

5x = 100

x=20

20 mL of the 13% salt solution

30 mL of the 18% salt solution