SOLUTION: Please help me solve this equation: An investment of $50,000 was made by a business club. The investment was split into three parts and lasted for one year. The first part of the i

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Question 1009968: Please help me solve this equation: An investment of $50,000 was made by a business club. The investment was split into three parts and lasted for one year. The first part of the investment earned 8% interest, the second 6%, and the third 9%. Total Interest from the investments was $3960. The interest from the first investment was 2 times the interest from the second. Find the amounts of the three parts of the investment.
Answer by Theo(13342) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x = amount invested at 8%.
y = amount invested at 6%.
z = amount invested at 9%.

x + y + z = 50,000

.08x + .06y + .09z = 3960

interest on the first investment is equal to 2 times interest on the second investment.

.08x = 2 * .06y

simplify to get .08x = .12y

solve for x to get x = .12y/.08 = 1.5y

since .08x = .12y, you can replace .08x with .12y.

since x = 1.5y, you can replace x with 1.5y

your two equations of x + y + z = 50,000 and .08x + .06y + .09z = 3960 become:

1.5y + y + z = 50,000
.12y + .06y + .09z = 3960

combine like terms in both equations to get:

2.5y + z = 50,000
.18y + .09z = 3960

you now have 2 equations with 2 unknown variables which can be solved simultaneously for a unique solution.

we will eliminate the z variable from the 2 equations in the following manner.

multiply both sides of the first eqution by 9 and multiply both sides of the second equation by 100.

you will get:

2.5y + z = 50,000 becomes 22.5y + 9z = 450,000.
.18y + .09z = 3960 becomes 18y + 9z = 396,000.

the 2 equations are now:

22.5y + 9z = 450,000
18y + 9z = 396,000

subtract the second equation from the first to get:

4.5y = 54,000

divide both sides of this equation by 4.5 to get:

y = 12,000

since x = 1.5y, then x must be equal to 18,000

since x + y + z = 50,000, then z must be equal to 20,000

you have:

x = 18,000
y = 12,000
z = 20,000

the interest on each of these investments is:

.08 * 18,000 = 1,440
.06 * 12,000 = 720
.09 * 20,000 = 1,800

add up the investments and you get 50,000
add up the interest and you get 3,960

the interest on the first investment is 2 times the interest on the second investment because 1,440 = 2 * 720.

all results are confirmed as good.

your solution is:

18,000 is invested at 8%.
12,000 is invested at 6%.
20,000 is invested at 9%.