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| Question 707181:   Caroline Case won $60,000 on a slot machine in Las Vegas.  She invested part of the money at 2% simple interest and the rest at 3%.  In one year, she earned a total of $1600 in interest.  How much was invested at the 3% rate?
 Please explain step by step how to solve thiS!
 Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! let x = amount invested at 2%, y = amount invested at 3% 
 She invested $60,000 total, so
 
 x+y = 60000
 
 solve for y to get:  y = 60000 - x
 
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 If she invests x dollars at 2% interest, then she will earn 0.02x dollars in interest alone after one year. Similarly, she will earn 0.03y dollars if she invests y dollars at 3%
 
 In total, she will earn 0.02x + 0.03y dollars in interest alone from both accounts combined.
 
 We're told that "In one year, she earned a total of $1600 in interest", so
 
 Total Interest Earned = 1600
 
 0.02x + 0.03y = 1600
 
 Now plug in  y = 60000 - x and solve for x
 
 0.02x + 0.03y = 1600
 
 0.02x + 0.03(60000 - x) = 1600
 
 0.02x + 0.03(60000) - 0.03x = 1600
 
 0.02x + 1800 - 0.03x = 1600
 
 -0.01x + 1800 = 1600
 
 -0.01x = 1600 - 1800
 
 -0.01x = -200
 
 x = -200/(-0.01)
 
 x = 20000
 
 So $20,000 was invested at 2% simple interest
 
 y = 60000 - x
 
 y = 60000 - 20000
 
 y = 40000
 
 and $40,000 was invested at 3% simple interest
 
 
 Check:
 
 we can see that the two amounts $20,000 and $40,000 add to $60,000, so that checks out
 
 $20,000 invested at 2% gives you 20000*0.02*1 = 400 dollars in interest alone
 
 $40,000 invested at 3% gives you 40000*0.03*1 = 1200 dollars in interest alone
 
 In total, you get 400+1200 = 1600 dollars in interest alone
 
 So the answers are verified.
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