document.write( "Question 30901: heres another word problem: a clothing manufacturer purchased 100 yds of cotton and 50 yds of wool for a total cost of $125. Another purchase, at the same prices, included 70 yds of cotton and 40 yds of wool for a total cost of $90.Find the cost per yard of the cotton and wool. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #17702 by blubunny01(20)\"\" \"About 
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This problem asks you to find two unknowns: cost/yard of cotton, and cost/yard of wool.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Let x = cost/yard of cotton.
\n" ); document.write( "Let y = cost/yard of wool.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "We know that a clothing manufacturer purchased 100 yds of cotton and 50 yds of wool for a total cost of $125. So, to put this into an equation, we have:
\n" ); document.write( "100x + 50y = 125.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "We also know that a purchase was made for 70 yds of cotton and 40 yds of wool for a total cost of $90. Again, to put this into an equation, we have:
\n" ); document.write( "70x + 40y = 90.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now you have two equations for two unknowns, and there are several ways to solve these types of problems. For simplicity, I'll use the substitution method.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I'll take 100x + 50y = 125 and solve for x:
\n" ); document.write( "100x = 125 - 50y
\n" ); document.write( " x = (125/100) - (50/100)y
\n" ); document.write( " x = (5/4) - (1/2)y\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Then I'll substitute it into the second equation, 70x + 40y = 90.
\n" ); document.write( "70[(5/4) - (1/2)y] + 40y = 90. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now, I can solve for y.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "70[(5/4) - (1/2)y] + 40y = 90. \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "[87.5 - 35y] + 40y = 90\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "87.5 + 5y = 90\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "5y = 2.5
\n" ); document.write( "y = 0.5\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now, we can go back to the previous equation and solve for x:
\n" ); document.write( "x = (5/4) - (1/2)y
\n" ); document.write( "x = (5/4) - (1/2)(0.5)
\n" ); document.write( "x = (5/4) - (1/4)
\n" ); document.write( "x = 1\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "This means, the cost of cotton is $1.00, and the cost of wool is $0.50.
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