Question

10. Three kinds of teas are worth $4.60 per pound, $5.75 per pound, and $6.50 per pound. They are to be

mixed together to get 20 pounds of tea worth $5.25 per pound. The amount of $4.60 tea used is to be equal
to the amount of the other two teas combined. How many pounds of each tea should be used?

Answer 1

The mass of the $4.60/lb tea that should be used in the mixture is 10 lb

The mass of the $5.75/lb tea that should be used in the mixture is 8 lb

The mass of the $6.50/lb tea that should be used in the mixture is 2 lb

Explanation:

The parameters of the question are;

The worth of the three teas are

Tea A = $4.60/lb

Tea B = $5.75/lb

Tea C = $6.50/lb

The mass of the mixture of the three teas = 20 lb

The worth of the mixture of the three teas = $5.25 per pound = $5.25/lb

The amount of the $4.60 in the mixture = The sum of the amount of the other two teas

Therefore, given that the mass of the mixture = 20 lb, we have in the mixture;

The mass of tea A + The mass of Tea B + The mass of Tea C = 20 lb

The mass of tea A = The mass of Tea B + The mass of Tea C

Therefore;

The mass of tea A + The mass of tea A = 20 lb

2 × The mass of tea A in the mixture = 20 lb

The mass of tea A in the mixture = 20 lb/2 = 10 lb

The mass of tea A in the mixture = 10 lb

The mass of Tea B + The mass of Tea C = The mass of tea A = 10 lb

The mass of Tea B + The mass of Tea C = 10 lb

The mass of Tea B = 10 lb - The mass of Tea C

Where the mass of Tea C in the mixture = x, we have;

The mass of Tea B in the mixture = 10 lb - x

The cost of the 10 lb of tea A = 10 × $4.60 = $46.0

The worth of the tea mixture = 20 × $5.25 = $105

The worth of the remaining 10 lb of the mixture comprising of tea A and tea B is given as follows;

The worth of Tea B + The worth of Tea C in the mixture = $105.00 - $46.00 = $59.00

Therefore, we have;

x lb × $6.50/lb + (10 - x) lb × $5.75/lb = $59.00

x × $6.50 - x × $5.75 + $57.50 = $59.00

x × $0.75 = $59.00 - $57.50 = $1.50

x = $1.50/$0.75 = 2 lb

∴ The mass of Tea C in the mixture = 2 lb

The mass of Tea B in the mixture = 10 lb - x = 10 lb - 2 lb = 8 lb

The mass of Tea B in the mixture = 8 lb

Therefore, since we have;

Tea A = $4.60/lb

Tea B = $5.75/lb

Tea C = $6.50/lb

The mass of tea A in the mixture = 10 lb

The mass of tea B in the mixture = 8 lb

The mass of tea C in the mixture = 2 lb, we find;

The mass of the $4.60/lb tea that should be used in the mixture = 10 lb

The mass of the $5.75/lb tea that should be used in the mixture = 8 lb

The mass of the $6.50/lb tea that should be used in the mixture = 2 lb.