document.write( "Question 85077: Cashews costing $5.50 per pound are mixed with pecans costing $3.00 per pound. How many pounds of each should be mixed to obtain a 20 pound cashew pecan mixture costing $3.50 per pound? \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Thanks,
\n" ); document.write( "Tonya
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Algebra.Com's Answer #61303 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Set up the following system of equations\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"5.5x%2B3y=20%2A3.50\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"x%2By=20\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Multiply\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"5.5x%2B3y=70\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"x%2By=20\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Multiply the first equation by 10 to remove the decimal\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"55x%2B30y=700\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"x%2By=20\"\r
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Solved by pluggable solver: Solving a System of Linear Equations by Elimination/Addition

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\n" ); document.write( " Lets start with the given system of linear equations
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\n" ); document.write( " \"55%2Ax%2B30%2Ay=700\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=20\"
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\n" ); document.write( " In order to solve for one variable, we must eliminate the other variable. So if we wanted to solve for y, we would have to eliminate x (or vice versa).
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\n" ); document.write( " So lets eliminate x. In order to do that, we need to have both x coefficients that are equal but have opposite signs (for instance 2 and -2 are equal but have opposite signs). This way they will add to zero.
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\n" ); document.write( " So to make the x coefficients equal but opposite, we need to multiply both x coefficients by some number to get them to an equal number. So if we wanted to get 55 and 1 to some equal number, we could try to get them to the LCM.
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\n" ); document.write( " Since the LCM of 55 and 1 is 55, we need to multiply both sides of the top equation by 1 and multiply both sides of the bottom equation by -55 like this:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2A%2855%2Ax%2B30%2Ay%29=%28700%29%2A1\" Multiply the top equation (both sides) by 1
\n" ); document.write( " \"-55%2A%281%2Ax%2B1%2Ay%29=%2820%29%2A-55\" Multiply the bottom equation (both sides) by -55
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\n" ); document.write( " So after multiplying we get this:
\n" ); document.write( " \"55%2Ax%2B30%2Ay=700\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"-55%2Ax-55%2Ay=-1100\"
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice how 55 and -55 add to zero (ie \"55%2B-55=0\")
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\n" ); document.write( " Now add the equations together. In order to add 2 equations, group like terms and combine them
\n" ); document.write( " \"%2855%2Ax-55%2Ax%29%2B%2830%2Ay-55%2Ay%29=700-1100\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"%2855-55%29%2Ax%2B%2830-55%29y=700-1100\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%2855%2B-55%29%2Ax%2B%2830-55%29%2Ay=700-1100\" Notice the x coefficients add to zero and cancel out. This means we've eliminated x altogether.
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\n" ); document.write( " So after adding and canceling out the x terms we're left with:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"-25%2Ay=-400\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=-400%2F-25\" Divide both sides by \"-25\" to solve for y
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=16\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " Now plug this answer into the top equation \"55%2Ax%2B30%2Ay=700\" to solve for x
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\n" ); document.write( " \"55%2Ax%2B30%2816%29=700\" Plug in \"y=16\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"55%2Ax%2B480=700\" Multiply
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\n" ); document.write( " \"55%2Ax=700-480\" Subtract \"480\" from both sides
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\n" ); document.write( " \"55%2Ax=220\" Combine the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%28%281%2F55%29%2855%29%29%2Ax=%28220%29%281%2F55%29\" Multiply both sides by \"1%2F55\". This will cancel out \"55\" on the left side.
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\n" ); document.write( " \"x=4\" Multiply the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " So our answer is
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\n" ); document.write( " \"x=4\", \"y=16\"
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\n" ); document.write( " which also looks like
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\n" ); document.write( " (\"4\", \"16\")
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice if we graph the equations (if you need help with graphing, check out this solver)
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\n" ); document.write( " \"55%2Ax%2B30%2Ay=700\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=20\"
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\n" ); document.write( " we get
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\n" ); document.write( " graph of \"55%2Ax%2B30%2Ay=700\" (red) \"1%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=20\" (green) (hint: you may have to solve for y to graph these) and the intersection of the lines (blue circle).
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\n" ); document.write( " and we can see that the two equations intersect at (\"4\",\"16\"). This verifies our answer.

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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "so you need 4 pounds of cashews and 16 pounds of pecans to make a 20 pound mix costing $3.50 per pound.
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