SOLUTION: A pharmacist wishes to put 500 milligrams of a medicine into 3mg and 2mg capsules. He fills 220 capsules. How many capsules of each size does he fill?

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Question 1111052: A pharmacist wishes to put 500 milligrams of a medicine into 3mg and 2mg capsules. He fills 220 capsules. How many capsules of each size does he fill?
Found 2 solutions by Alan3354, greenestamps:
Answer by Alan3354(69443) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A pharmacist wishes to put 500 milligrams of a medicine into 3mg and 2mg capsules. He fills 220 capsules. How many capsules of each size does he fill?
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t = # of 3 mg capsules
3t + 2*(220-t) = 500

Answer by greenestamps(13208) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Here is a way to solve this kind of problem with a bit of mental arithmetic and some logical reasoning.

Suppose he fills all 220 capsules each with 2mg of the medicine. That would use 440 of the 500mg he has, leaving 60mg.

To use those last 60mg, he puts 1mg more in each of 60 capsules.

That leaves him with 220-60 = 160 capsules with 2mg each and 60 capsules with 3mg each.

Answer: 160 2mg capsules and 60 3mg capsules.