SOLUTION: Birdseed costs ​$0.66 a pound and sunflower seeds cost ​$0.96 a pound. Angela​ Leinenbachs' pet store wishes to make a 50​-pound mixture of birdseed and sunflower seeds tha

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Question 1142300: Birdseed costs ​$0.66 a pound and sunflower seeds cost ​$0.96 a pound. Angela​ Leinenbachs' pet store wishes to make a 50​-pound mixture of birdseed and sunflower seeds that sells for ​$0.86 per a pound. How many pounds of each type of seed should she​ use?
Answer by greenestamps(13200) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


(1) By the standard algebraic solution method....

Use x pounds of the sunflower seeds at 0.96 per pound and (50-x) pounds of the birdseed at 0.66 per pound to make 50 pounds of the mixture at 0.86 per pound:

0.96%28x%29%2B0.66%2850-x%29+=+0.86%2850%29

Solve using basic algebra; I leave that to you.

(2) By a much easier method using logical reasoning....

The target price of 0.86 per pound is 2/3 of the way from 0.66 per pound to 0.96 per pound. (0.96-0.66 = 0.30; 0.86-0.66 = 0.20; 0.20/0.30 = 2/3).

That means 2/3 of the mixture needs to be the more expensive sunflower seed.

ANSWER: 2/3 of 50 pounds, or 33 1/3 pounds, of sunflower seeds and 16 2/3 pounds of birdseed.