49.3k views
0 votes
HELP!!!

A metalworker has a metal alloy that is 20​% copper and another alloy that is 70​% copper. How many kilograms of each alloy should the metalworker combine to create 100 kg of a 50​% copper​ alloy?

User Robertokl
by
7.5k points

1 Answer

1 vote

Answer:

The metalworker should use 60 kg of metal alloy that is 70% copper and 40 kg of metal alloy that is 20% copper.

Explanation:

System of Equations

Let's call

x=amount of metal alloy that is 20% copper

y=amount of metal alloy that is 70% copper

The metalworker wants to create 100 Kg of 50% copper alloy. This gives us the first relation

x+y=100

The combination of 20% of x and 70% of y will produce 50% of the sum of both, thus

20x+70y=50(x+y)

Operating

20x+70y=50x+50y

Reducing and dividing by 10

2y=3x

The system of equations is easily solved by isolating x in the first equation

x=100-y

And replacing into the last equation

2y=3(100-y)

Operating

2y=300-3y

5y=300

y=60

Thus

x=100-60=40

The metalworker should use 60 kg of metal alloy that is 70% copper and 40 kg of metal alloy that is 20% copper.

User Yashwanth Babu
by
8.6k points