Thread: Substitution word problem

the problem is:
a silversmith has alloys that contain 40% silver and others that have 50% silver. A custom order requires 150g of 44% silver. How much of each alloy should be melted together to make the bracelet?

so far i got:
Let x represent the 40% alloy
Let y represent the 50% alloy.

x+y=150
0.4x+0.5y=0.44

I rearranged the first eqaution to be y=-x+150.
Then subbed it into the second to be 0.4x+0.5(-x+150)=0.44
but when I solved this, i got 745.6. Where did I go wrong?

Originally Posted by questions4u

the problem is:
a silversmith has alloys that contain 40% silver and others that have 50% silver. A custom order requires 150g of 44% silver. How much of each alloy should be melted together to make the bracelet?

so far i got:
Let x represent the 40% alloy
Let y represent the 50% alloy.

x+y=150
0.4x+0.5y=0.44

I rearranged the first eqaution to be y=-x+150.
Then subbed it into the second to be 0.4x+0.5(-x+150)=0.44
but when I solved this, i got 745.6. Where did I go wrong?

will one of the moderators please close this thread. the poster moved it here

do not take it upon yourself to move threads, if it is in an inappropriate forum, one of the moderators will move it