Question 1157597
<br>
Here is a non-algebraic method for solving this type of "mixture" problem.<br>
The difference between 8% and 9.4% is 1.4%; the difference between 12% and 9.4% is 2.6%.
That means the ratio of the populations of the two towns before the merger was 1.4:2.6, or 14:26.
With a combined population of 40,000, and a ratio of 14:26, the populations of the two towns were 14,000 and 26,000.
And since 9.4% is closer to 8% than to 12%, town B had the larger population.<br>
ANSWERS:
Town A: 14,000
Town B: 26,000<br>
CHECK:
.12(14,000) + .08(26,000) = 1680+2080 = 3760
.094(40,000) = 3760<br>