SOLUTION: An airplane begins a flight with a total of 36.0 gal. of fuel stored in two separate wing tanks. During the flight, 25.0% of the fuel in one tank is used, and in the other tank, 37

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Question 252841: An airplane begins a flight with a total of 36.0 gal. of fuel stored in two separate wing tanks. During the flight, 25.0% of the fuel in one tank is used, and in the other tank, 37.5% of the fuel is used. If the total fuel used is 11.2 gal., find the amounts x and y stored in each tank.
Please help me. I am suppose to show my work but everytime I try to do this problem I get something completely wrong.
Answer by checkley77(12844) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x+y=36 multiply by -.25 & add.
.25x+.375y=11.2
-.25x-.25y=-9
----------------
.125y=2.2
y=2.2/.125
y=17.6 amount of gas in one tank.
x+17.6=36
x=36-17.6
x=18.4 gallons of gas in the other tank.
Proof:
.25*18.4+.375*17.6=11.2
4.6+6.6=11.2
11.2=11.2