1. Help with quantities to maximize budget please!

For example, assume your budget is $20. You buy 2 drinks for every popcorn. Assume popcorn costs$7.50 per unit and drinks cost $4 per unit. How many of each unit do you buy if you spend your entire budget? Decimal quantities (e.g. 2.5 drinks) are permitted. I know the answer is computed by adding$4+$4+$7.50, which equals $15.50 and then dividing the$20 by that sum. That gives you the quantity per unit. You end up with 1.29 units of popcorn and 2.58 units of drink. I just know how to enter the numbers into the equation and get the answer, but I don't understand the intuition behind it (i.e. WHY following those steps gives me the correct answer).

Could someone explain it to me please? It would be greatly appreciated !

2. Re: Help with quantities to maximize budget please!

Originally Posted by mathbeginner97
For example, assume your budget is $20. You buy 2 drinks for every popcorn. Assume popcorn costs$7.50 per unit and drinks cost $4 per unit. How many of each unit do you buy if you spend your entire budget? Decimal quantities (e.g. 2.5 drinks) are permitted. I know the answer is computed by adding$4+$4+$7.50, which equals $15.50 and then dividing the$20 by that sum. That gives you the quantity per unit. You end up with 1.29 units of popcorn and 2.58 units of drink. I just know how to enter the numbers into the equation and get the answer, but I don't understand the intuition behind it (i.e. WHY following those steps gives me the correct answer).

Could someone explain it to me please? It would be greatly appreciated !