Let the number of liters of pure added be x Let the number of liters of 30%alcohol left in the jug after the x liters were taken out and replaced be y liters of pure alcohol Percent Liters alcohol of pure Type Liters in alcohol of of EACH contained liquid liquid as decimal in each --------------------------------------------- pure alcohol x 1.00 1.00x 30% alcohol y 0.30 0.30y ---------------------------------------------------- Final mixture 10 0.51 (0.51)(10) = 5.1 The first equation comes from the second column.x + y = 10 The second equation comes from the last column. 1.00x + 0.30y = 5.1 Get rid of decimals by multiplying every term by 10: 10x + 3y = 51 So we have the system of equations: . We solve by substitution. Solve the first equation for y: x + y = 10 y = 10 - x Substitute (10 - x) for y in 10x + 3y = 51 10x + 3(10 - x) = 51 10x + 30 - 3x = 51 7x + 30 = 51 7x = 21 answer: x = 3 liters drained and replaced with pure alcohol Edwin
Let "x" be the volume of the 30% alcohol solution taken from and replaced. After replacement, we have the same volume of 10 liters of the (new) solution. The alcohol content in the new solution is x + 0.3*(10-x). Since it is 10 liter of the 51% of alcohol solution, you have this equation x + 0.3*(10-x) = 0.51*10. Simplify and solve for x: x + 3 - 0.3x = 5.1, 0.7x = 5.1 - 3, 0.7x = 2.1, x == 3. Answer. 3 liters of the original solution were taken off and replaced by the pure alcohol.