SOLUTION: Sandy uses a 1/2-ton pickup (a truck that can carry 1000 pounds) to transport ingredients for mortar. Sand comes in 50-pound bags and cement comes in 40-pound bags. Mortar is mad

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Question 350508: Sandy uses a 1/2-ton pickup (a truck that can carry 1000 pounds) to transport ingredients for mortar. Sand comes in 50-pound bags and cement comes in 40-pound bags. Mortar is made from five bags of sand for every bag of cement. How many bags of each should Sandy load to make the most mortar possible? I need to use the four problem-solving steps (algebraic solution). Symbolic Representation.

Thank you,
Lorna
Answer by stanbon(75887) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Sandy uses a 1/2-ton pickup (a truck that can carry 1000 pounds) to transport ingredients for mortar.
Sand comes in 50-pound bags and
cement comes in 40-pound bags.
Mortar is made from five bags of sand for every bag of cement.
Equations:
50s + 40c = 1000
s = 5c
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Substitute for "s" and solve for "c":
50(5c) + 40c = 1000
290c = 1000
c = 3.448
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Max number of cement bags is 3
Since s = 5c, s = 15 (# of bags of sand needed with 3 bags of cement.
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Cheers,
Stan H.

How many bags of each should Sandy load to make the most mortar possible? I need to use the four problem-solving steps (algebraic solution). Symbolic Representation.