# help in solving a word problem

• Jun 24th 2009, 09:00 PM
thisoneroller
help in solving a word problem
Could you please give me step by step instructions on how to solve this word problem?

Jinny is canning pickles and needs 5 cups of 5% vinegar. She has a container full of 4% vinegar and a container full of 8%. How much of each kind should she mix to obtain her 5 cups of 5% acidity? Round your answer to the nearest hundredth.

Thank you(Wink)
• Jun 24th 2009, 09:27 PM
VonNemo19
Quote:

Originally Posted by thisoneroller
Could you please give me step by step instructions on how to solve this word problem?

Jinny is canning pickles and needs 5 cups of 5% vinegar. She has a container full of 4% vinegar and a container full of 8%. How much of each kind should she mix to obtain her 5 cups of 5% acidity? Round your answer to the nearest hundredth.

Thank you(Wink)

Let x be the number cups of 4% vinegar, and let y be the number of cups of 8% vinegar. You can see then that x+y=5

If we solve for y we can eliminate one of the variables

$y=5-x$

So we know

$.04x+.08(5-x)=$5 cups of a 5% solution Or

$.04x+.08(5-x)=.05(5)$

Can you take it from here?
• Jun 24th 2009, 09:35 PM
thisoneroller
yes i can take it from here. Thank you very much
• Jun 24th 2009, 09:37 PM
VonNemo19
This is what i do.

DEUCE!