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How to think about "Mixture" Problems
Math Student Teaching Spring 2000
Pat Thompson, Vanderbilt University
We want to make 300 g of a salt solution containing 6% salt. We will
make it by pouring together two other salt solutions, one containing
8% salt and the other containing 5% salt. How many grams of the 5%
solution and how many grams of the 8% solutions should we mix?
We will make it by pouring together two other salt solutions, one containing
8% salt and the other containing 5% salt.
However much 8% solution we use, 8 percent of it will be salt. If we
use x grams of 8% solution, it will be made of .08x grams of salt. If we
use .08x grams of salt from the 8% solution, we must get the rest of the salt
from the 5% solution. So the amount of 5% solution we use will contain 18.08x grams of salt.
How many grams of the 5% solution and how many grams of the 8%
solutions should we mix?
Any amount of 5% solution is 20 times as large as the amount of salt in it.
So, if we get 18-.08x grams of salt from the 5% solution, we must use
20(18-.08x) grams of 5% solution.
We are making 300 grams of 6% solution, and that comes from combining
the two amounts we start with. So, 300 = (number of grams of 8% solution)
+ (number of grams of 5% solution).
Therefore:
300 = x + 20(18-.08x)
300 = x + 360 - 1.6x
-60 = -.6x
100 = x. Use 100 grams of 8% solution and 20(18-8), or 200 grams of 5%
solution.
7. The two amounts of solution must total 300 grams when combined.
Therefore,
300 = x + 20(18 - .08x).