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)![]() ![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! This problem asks you to find two unknowns: cost/yard of cotton, and cost/yard of wool.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Let x = cost/yard of cotton. \n" ); document.write( "Let y = cost/yard of wool.\r \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "This means, the cost of cotton is $1.00, and the cost of wool is $0.50. \n" ); document.write( " |