# Math Help - help in solving a word problem

1. ## 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

2. 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
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?

3. yes i can take it from here. Thank you very much

4. This is what i do.

DEUCE!