document.write( "Question 1147449: A scientist has two solutions, which she has labeled Solution A and Solution B. Each contains salt. She knows that Solution A is 35% salt and Solution B is 85% salt. She wants to obtain 130 ounces of a mixture that is 80% salt. How many ounces of each solution should she use? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #768799 by greenestamps(13200) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\n" ); document.write( "We will overlook the scientific fact that you can't have an 80% salt solution (assuming you mean regular NaCl); we will simply treat this as a typical mixture problem.

\n" ); document.write( "Here is the fastest way to the answer to a mixture problem like this, without using any variation of the standard algebraic approach outlined by the other tutor.

\n" ); document.write( "(1) The 80% target is 9/10 of the way from 35% to 85%. (Picture the three percentages on a number line; 35 to 80 is a difference of 45; 35 to 85 is a difference of 50; 45/50 = 9/10.)
\n" ); document.write( "(2) Therefore, 9/10 of the mixture needs to be the higher percentage ingredient.

\n" ); document.write( "ANSWER: 9/10 of 130 ounces, or 117 ounces, of the 85% solution; the other 13 ounces is the 35% solution. \n" ); document.write( "

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