SOLUTION: A coffee merchant combines coffee costing $5.50 per pound with coffee costing $3.00 per pound. How many pounds of each should be used to make 40 lb of a blend costing $4 per pound?

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Question 201433: A coffee merchant combines coffee costing $5.50 per pound with coffee costing $3.00 per pound. How many pounds of each should be used to make 40 lb of a blend costing $4 per pound?
Found 2 solutions by Alan3354, rfer:
Answer by Alan3354(69443) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A coffee merchant combines coffee costing $5.50 per pound with coffee costing $3.00 per pound. How many pounds of each should be used to make 40 lb of a blend costing $4 per pound?
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Use x pounds of the 550 blend.
40*400 = 550x + 300(40-x)
16000 = 550x + 12000 - 300x
4000 = 250x
x = 16 pounds of the $5.50
24 pounds of the $3.00
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Check: 40 lbs x $4 = $160
16*$5.50 = $88
24*$3.00 = $72
$72 + $88 = $160

Answer by rfer(16322) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
5.5x+3(40-x)=4(40)
5.5x+120-3x=160
2.5x=40
x=16
$5.50 per pound *16=$88.00
$3.00 per pound *40-16=$72.00
Total = $160 which is = to $4.00*40 pounds