He starts with 6 liters of an 8% boric acid solution. 8% of 6 is 0.48, so those 6 liters of liquid contains just 0.48 liters of pure boric acid and the rest is water. Now he adds x liters of water and now he has 6+x liters of liquid. That 6+x liters of liquid still contains just 0.48 liters of pure boric acid. That 0.48 liters of pure boric acid is now only 5% of those 6+x liters of liquid. So 0.48 = 5% of 6+x 0.48 = 0.05(6+x) 48 = 5(6+x) 48 = 30+5x 18 = 5x 3.6 = x Answer: He needs to add 3.6 liters of water. Edwin