SOLUTION: A chemist has three different acid solutions. The first acid solution contains 25% acid, the second contains 45% and the third contains 85%. He wants to use all three solutions to

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Question 991928: A chemist has three different acid solutions. The first acid solution contains 25% acid, the second contains 45% and the third contains 85%. He wants to use all three solutions to obtain a mixture of 160 liters containing 40% acid, using 3 times as much of the 85% solution as the 45% solution. How many liters of each solution should be used?
The chemist should use
liters of 25% solution,
liters of 45% solution, and
liters of 85% solution.
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, MathTherapy:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39618) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
L, m, h for volume amounts of Low, medium, high in the order of 25, 45, 85.

%2825L%2B45m%2B85h%29%2F160=40; and h%2Fm=3. This lets to use h=3m, and this can be substituted into the percent equation:

%2825L%2B45m%2B85%2A3m%29=40%2A160
%2825L%2B300m%29=4%2A16%2A100
L%2B12m=4%2A16%2A4%2A100
L%2B12m=100%2A16%5E2-------This is one of the simplified equations or its equivalent, to use.

The other equation is the volume sum equation:
L%2Bm%2Bh=160
and according to the earlier described relationship among h and m,
L%2Bm%2B3m=160
L%2B4m=160

Solve this system
system%28L%2B12m=25600%2CL%2B4m=160%29
You solve this system.

Answer by MathTherapy(10552) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

A chemist has three different acid solutions. The first acid solution contains 25% acid, the second contains 45% and the third contains 85%. He wants to use all three solutions to obtain a mixture of 160 liters containing 40% acid, using 3 times as much of the 85% solution as the 45% solution. How many liters of each solution should be used?
The chemist should use
liters of 25% solution,
liters of 45% solution, and
liters of 85% solution.
Amount of 25% acid to use: highlight_green%28112%29 L

Amount of 45% acid to use:  highlight_green%2812%29 L

Amount of 85% acid to use:  highlight_green%2836%29 L

This makes sense since the resulting mixture is to contain 40% acid, so the great majority of the mixture needs to consist of 25% acid