SOLUTION: A silversmith wishes to obtain an alloy containing at least 72% silver and at most 75% silver. Determine the greatest and least amounts of an 80% silver alloy that should be combin

Algebra ->  Inequalities -> SOLUTION: A silversmith wishes to obtain an alloy containing at least 72% silver and at most 75% silver. Determine the greatest and least amounts of an 80% silver alloy that should be combin      Log On


   



Question 995434: A silversmith wishes to obtain an alloy containing at least 72% silver and at most 75% silver. Determine the greatest and least amounts of an 80% silver alloy that should be combined with a 65% silver alloy in order to have 30grams of the required alloy.
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This is 2 problems in 1
Let +a+ = grams of 80% alloy needed
Let +b+ = grams of 65% alloy needed
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First solve for 72% silver end result
(1) +a+%2B+b+=+30+
(2) +%28+.8a+%2B+.65b+%29+%2F+30+=+.72+
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(2) +.8a+%2B+.65b+=+.72%2A30+
(2) +.8a+%2B+.65b+=+21.6+
(2) +80a+%2B+65b+=+2160+
(2) +16a+%2B+13b+=+432+
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Multiply both sides of (1) by +13+
and subtract (1) from (2)
(2) +16a+%2B+13b+=+432+
(1) +-13a+-+13b+=+-390+
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+3a+=+42+
+a+=+14+
and
(1) +14+%2B+b+=+30+
(1) +b+=+16+
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Now solve for 75% alloy end result
(1) +a+%2B+b+=+30+
(2) +%28+.8a+%2B+.65b+%29+%2F+30+=+.72+
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(2) +.8a+%2B+.65b+=+.75%2A30+
(2) +.8a+%2B+.65b+=+22.5+
(2) +80a+%2B+65b+=+2250+
(2) +16a+%2B+13b+=+450+
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Multiply both sides of (1) by +13+
and subtract (1) from (2)
(2) +16a+%2B+13b+=+450+
(1) +-13a+-+13b+=+-390+
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+3a+=+60+
+a+=+20+
and
(1) +20+%2B+b+=+30+
(1) +b+=+10+
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From these results,
the least amount of 80% alloy needed is 14 grams ( making 72% silver )
the most amount of 80% alloy needed is 20 grams ( making 75% silver )
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You can check the answers by plugging
+a+ and +b+ back into (2) for both
72% and 75% cases