document.write( "Question 207890: this is the given problem: Solution X is 2% alcohol and solution Y is 6% alcohol. A drugstore owner wants to mix them in order to get a 60-L of solution that is 3.2% alcohol. How many liters of each should the owner use?
\n" ); document.write( "Solution:
\n" ); document.write( " Let x = the number of liters of X
\n" ); document.write( " y = the number of liters of Y
\n" ); document.write( "-----------------------------------------------------------------
\n" ); document.write( " + solution + solution + mixture +
\n" ); document.write( " + X + Y + +
\n" ); document.write( "---------------------+-------------+------------+---------------+
\n" ); document.write( "amt. of solution(L) + x + y + 60 +
\n" ); document.write( "---------------------+-------------+------------+---------------+
\n" ); document.write( "percent of alcohol + 2% + 6% + 3.2% +
\n" ); document.write( "---------------------+-------------+------------+---------------+
\n" ); document.write( "amt. of alcohol in + 0.02% + 0.06% + 0.032(60)or + 0.02x + 0.06y
\n" ); document.write( "the mixture(L) + + + 1.92 + = 1.9
\n" ); document.write( "----------------------------------------------------------------+\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "note: to get the amount of a alcohol, we multiply the amount of solution by the percentages.
\n" ); document.write( "equations:
\n" ); document.write( " (1) x + y = 60
\n" ); document.write( " (2) 0.02x + 0.06y = 1.92
\n" ); document.write( "multiplying eq.(2) by 100, we now have this system:
\n" ); document.write( " (1) x + y = 60
\n" ); document.write( " (2)2x +6y = 192
\n" ); document.write( "solving the system using elimination, we first multiply eq. by -2 and add the result to eq. (2)
\n" ); document.write( " -2x-2y =-120
\n" ); document.write( " 2x+6y = 192
\n" ); document.write( " ------------
\n" ); document.write( " 4y = 72
\n" ); document.write( " y = 18
\n" ); document.write( "solving for x, we substitute 18 in place of y in eq. (1)
\n" ); document.write( " x + 18 = 60
\n" ); document.write( " x = 42\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Please help me why it was multiplied by negative 2, and where this -2 came from?
\n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #157244 by rapaljer(4671)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
(1) x + y = 60
\n" ); document.write( "(2)2x +6y = 192\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The second equation has a 2x, while the first equation has only x. You need to make the x terms subtract out, so in order to subtract out the 2x, you need a -2x. To get that, you have to multiply the first equation by -2. You could also have eliminated the y terms by multiplying the first equation by -6. We usually try to eliminate using the smaller number.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "R^2
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );