Question

Orlando is mixing nuts and cereal squares to make a party mix. Nuts sell for $7 a pound and cereal squares sell for $4 a pound. If Orlando wants to make 30 pounds of party mix at a cost of $6.50 a pound, how many pounds of nuts and how many pounds of cereal squares should he use?

Answer 1

5 lbs cereal squares.

25 Ibs nuts.

Explanation:

Let x be the weight of nuts in pounds and y be the weight of cereal squares in pounds.

Total weight of the party mix is 30 pounds.

`x+y=30` ..... (1)

It is given that,

Cost of nuts = $7 per pound

Cost of cereal = $4 per pound

The cost of mix = $6.50 per pound.

`7x+4y=6.50*30`

`7x+4y=195` ..... (2)

Substitute the value of x in equation (2) from equation (1).

`7(30-y)+4y=195`

`210-7y+4y=195`

`-3y=195-210`

`-3y=-15`

Divide both sides by -3.

`y=5`

Substitute y=5 in equation (1).

`x+5=30`

Subtract both sides by 5.

`x=30-5`

`x=25`

Therefore, he use 25 lbs of nuts and 5 lbs cereal squares for party mix.