SOLUTION: A chemist is mixing three chemicals to get 15 liters of a 6% solution. How much of each of 3%, 7%, and 9% solutions should he use if he must use twice as much of the 3% as the 9% s

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Question 512137: A chemist is mixing three chemicals to get 15 liters of a 6% solution. How much of each of 3%, 7%, and 9% solutions should he use if he must use twice as much of the 3% as the 9% solution?
Found 2 solutions by Maths68, josmiceli:
Answer by Maths68(1474) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Solution A
Amount = x
Concentration =9% = 0.09
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Solution B
Amount = 2x
Concentration =3% = 0.03
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Solution C
Amount = 15-3x
Concentration =7% = 0.07
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Resultant Solution
Amount =15
Concentration = 6%=0.06
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[Amount Solution A * Concentration A] + [Amount Solution B * Concentration of B]+ [Amount Solution B * Concentration of B] = Amount of Resultant * Concentration of resultant
(0.09)x+(0.03)2x+(0.07)(15-3x)=(0.06)(15)
0.09x+0.06x+1.05-0.21x=0.9
0.09x+0.06x-0.21x=0.9-1.05
0.15-0.21x=-0.15
-0.06x/0.06=-0.15/-0.06
x=2.5
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Solution A
Amount = x = 2.5 liters
Concentration =9% = 0.09
===============================================================================
Solution B
Amount = 2x =2(2.5)= 5 liters
Concentration =3% = 0.03
================================================================================
Solution C
Amount = 15-3x =15-3(2.5)=15-7.5=7.5 liters
Concentration =7% = 0.07
================================================================================


Result
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He has to mix 5 liters of 3%, 7.5 liters of 7%, and 2.5 liters of 9% solutions to get 15 liters of a 6% solution

Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let a = liters of 3% solution needed
Let b = liters of 7% solution needed
Let c = liters of 9% solution needed
given:
(1) +a+%2B+b+%2B+c+=+15+
(2) +%28++.03a+%2B+.07b+%2B+.09c+%29+%2F+15+=+.06+
(3) +a+=+2c+
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There are 3 equations and 3 unknowns, so it's solvable
(2) +.03a+%2B+.07b+%2B+.09c++=+.06%2A15+
(2) +.03a+%2B+.07b+%2B+.09c++=+.9+
(2) +3a+%2B+7b+%2B+9c++=+90+
Multiply both sides of (1) by 7
and subtract (2) from (1)
(1) +7a+%2B+7b+%2B+7c+=+105+
(2) +-3a+-+7b+-+9c++=+-90+
(4) +4a+-+2c+=+15+
Substitute (3) into (4)
(4) +8c+-+2c+=+15+
(4) +6c+=+15+
(4) +c+=+2.5+
and, since
(3) +a+=+2c+
(3) +a+=+5+
and
(1) +a+%2B+b+%2B+c+=+15+
(1) +5+%2B+b+%2B+2.5+=+15+
(1) +b+=+15+-+7.5+
(1) +b+=+7.5+
5 liters of 3% solution are needed
7.5 liters of 7% solution are needed
2.5 liters of 9% solution are needed
check answer:
(2) +%28++.03%2A5+%2B+.07%2A7.5+%2B+.09%2A2.5+%29+%2F+15+=+.06+
(2) +%28+.15+%2B+.525+%2B+.225+%29+%2F+15+=+.06+
(2) ++.15+%2B+.525+%2B+.225++=+.06%2A15+
(2) +.9+=+.9+
OK