Question

A coffee house blended 16 pounds of espresso flavored

coffee beans with 10 pounds of vanilla flavored coffee
beans. The 26 pound mixture cost $229. A second mixture
included 14 pounds of espresso flavored coffee beans and 11
pounds of vanilla flavored coffee beans. The 25 pound
mixture cost $219.50. Find the cost per pound of the
espresso and vanilla flavored coffee beans.

Answer 1

Use systems of equations to solve.

Let x represent the cost per pound of the espresso coffee beans and

y represent the cost per pound of the vanilla coffee beans.

6x + 5y = 77.50

20x + 13y = 234.50, both of these are given.

Rewrite these equations so you can eliminate one of the variables;

60x + 50y = 775, Multiply both sides of the equation by 10

60x + 39y = 703.5, Multiply both sides of the equation by 3

Now Subtract equation 2 from equation 1,

11y = 71.5

y = 6.5

Solve for x,

6x + 5(6.50)= 77.50

x = 7.50

Therefore, the cost per pound of the espresso coffee beans is $7.50, and

the cost per pound of the vanilla coffee beans is $6.50.