MIXTURE PROBLEM:

Problem 1. How many pounds of a 35% salt solution and a 14% salt solution should be combined so that 50lbs of a 20%
salt solution are obtained?

Illustration:

35% salt
solution 14 % salt
solution
Let us denote that
A is the 35% salt solution,
B is the 14% salt solution, and
C is the 20% mixture (salt solution)

By this, the mixture then is represented by the equation

x% of A + (100 x%) of B = C

20% In which, x% will be the amount of A poured to make C.

100 x% is the amount of B poured to make C.
salt solution And in which, the total amount of A and B is C.
(50lbs) Amount of A + amount of B = amount of C.

We can, then, put up a table illustrating the situation, that:

Amount of solution Salt Solution

(in lbs) Percentage (amount of solution x salt percentage)

Salt Solution A x 35% .35x

Salt Solution B 50 x 14% .14 (50 x)

Mixture 50 20% 10 (from 50 x .20)

.35x + .14(50 x) = 10
.35x + 7 .14x = 10
.21x = 3
x = 14.29

Since x is the amount of solution A to be poured, then

14.29lbs of salt solution A. It follows that 35.71lbs of
solution B must be poured to obtain a 50lbs of 20% of salt
solution.

For more explanation, you may open your College Algebra and Trigonometry book on page 90 (example 3).

Written by: Mr. Xandro Alexi A. Nieto, M.Math Ed.

UST Faculty of Pharmacy