SOLUTION: How many gallons of water must be mixed with 5 gal of a 20% sal solution to make a 16% salt solution?

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Mixtures -> SOLUTION: How many gallons of water must be mixed with 5 gal of a 20% sal solution to make a 16% salt solution?      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


    

Question 71686This question is from textbook Algebra: Introductory and Intermediate
: How many gallons of water must be mixed with 5 gal of a 20% sal solution to make a 16% salt solution? This question is from textbook Algebra: Introductory and Intermediate

Answer by ptaylor(2198) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Lex x=Amount of water to be added
Now we know that the amount of pure salt in water (0) plus the amount of pure salt in the original 5 gal of the 20% solution (0.20*5) has to equal the amount of pure salt in the final mixture ((5+x)*0.16). So our equation to solve is:
(0.20)(5)=(5+x)(0.16)--get rid of the parens
1=0.8+0.16x subtract 0.8 from both sides
1-0.8=0.8-0.8+0.16x collect like terms
0.2=0.16x divide both sides by 0.16
x=1.25 gal---------------------------------amount of water needed
CK
5+1.25=6.25
6.25(.16)=1
and 5(0.20)=1
1=1
Hope this helps----ptaylor