SOLUTION: A candy maker makes two sizes of candies. Using the smaller size, a full jar will contain 120 pieces of candy. Using the larger candies a jar will contain 80 pieces of candy. If a

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Question 1007087: A candy maker makes two sizes of candies. Using the smaller size, a full jar will contain 120 pieces of candy. Using the larger candies a jar will contain 80 pieces of candy. If a store has room for 15 jars and they want 1560 total pieces of candy, how many jars will contain smaller candies?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39629) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This feels like a two-variable, linear system application.

One size of jar, but two sizes of candy.
120 smallcandy/jar
80 bigcandy/jar

Assign variables: x small candies, y big candies

Need 1560 pieces of candy.
x%2By=1560

How can accounting of the jars be done?
x small candies and y big candies must use 15 jars;
%281%2F120%29x%2B%281%2F80%29y=15----think about the units included but unwritten here. ACCOUNTS for the jars.

System of two linear equations
highlight_green%28system%28x%2By=1560%2Cx%2F120%2By%2F80=15%29%29
and a bit of clever algebra or fraction arithmetic lets the jar account equation give the system as
highlight%28system%28x%2By=1560%2C2x%2B3y=3600%29%29
Solve this system.

Quick use of the elimination method will give y=3600-3120=highlight%28y=480%29.
highlight%28x=1080%29.