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A grocer sells milk chocolate at $2.60 per pound, dark chocolate at $4.40 per pound, and dark chocolate with almonds at $5.90 per pound. He wants to make a mixture of 50 pounds of mixed chocolates to sell at $4.61 per pound. The mixture is to contain as many pounds of dark chocolate with almonds as milk chocolate and dark chocolate combined. How many pounds of each type must he use in this mixture?

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Answer: 15 pounds of milk chocolate, 10 pounds of dark chocolate and 25 pounds of dark chocolate with almonds is needed in the mixture.

Explanation:

Let x represent the number of pounds of milk chocolate that would be in the mixture.

Let y represent the number of pounds of dark chocolate that would be in the mixture.

Let z represent the number of pounds of dark chocolate with almonds that would be in the mixture.

Since the mixture would be 50 pounds, it means that

x + y + z = 50- - - - - - - - - - - 1

He wants to make a mixture of 50 pounds of mixed chocolates to sell at $4.61 per pound. The total cost of the mixture would be 50 × 4.61 = $230.5. Milk chocolate would sell at $2.60 per pound, dark chocolate at $4.40 per pound, and dark chocolate with almonds at $5.90 per pound. It means that

2.6x + 4.4y + 5.9z = 230.5- - - - - - -2

The mixture is to contain as many pounds of dark chocolate with almonds as milk chocolate and dark chocolate combined. It means that

z = x + y

Substituting z = x + y into equation 1 and equation 2, it becomes

x + y + x + y = 50

2x + 2y = 50

Dividing both sides by 2, it becomes

x + y = 25

x = 25 - y- - - - - - - - - 3

2.6x + 4.4y + 5.9(x + y) = 230.5

2.6x + 4.4y + 5.9x + 5.9y = 230.5

2.6x + 5.9x + 4.4y + 5.9y = 230.5

8.5x + 10.3y = 230.5- - - - - - - - - 4

Substituting equation 3 into equation 4, it becomes

8.5(25 - y) + 10.3y = 230.5

212.5 - 8.5y + 10.3y = 230.5

- 8.5y + 10.3y = 230.5 - 212.5

1.8y = 18

y = 18/1.8

y = 10

x = 25 - y = 25 - 10

x = 15

Substituting x = 15 and y = 10 into z = x + y,

z = 15 + 10 = 25

User Ryan Schumacher
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