mixture problem

kjames · 2013-01-20 22:39:12

How much copper and how much magnesium should be added to 200 lbs of an alloy containing 20% copper and 40% magnesium to produce an alloy containing 24%copper and 50% magnesium?

phrontister · 2013-01-20 23:38:33

Hi kjames,

Sorry, but I'm tied up doing something else for quite a while, and so I can only give a quick answer that isn't exact (it's a decimal approximation), and as I got it with Excel's Goal Seek I can't give the method you probably want, either.

Here's what I got:
Copper: add 33.846153846154 lbs
Magnesium: add 73.846153846154 lbs

kjames · 2013-01-20 23:47:42

Thanks for giving time in answering my question but can somebody else show me the solution so that I can learn how to do it..thank you!

bobbym · 2013-01-21 00:47:33

Hi;

Let c be the amount of copper to be added and m the amount of magnesium to be added

c = 440 / 13, m = 960 / 13

phrontister · 2013-01-21 11:37:23

Hi,

Nice and compact, Bobby! I didn't think of going that way.

This is how I've done it:

Initially...
Copper = 20% of 200 lbs = 40 lbs
Magnesium = 40% of 200 lbs = 80 lbs
Other = 40% of 200 lbs = 80 lbs
Totals = 100% = 200 lbs

When added...
Copper = 24% of x lbs
Magnesium = 40% of x lbs
Other = 26% of x lbs, ∴ x = 80/26% lbs
Total = 100%

Copper added = 24% of x = (24*80/26)-40 lbs = (960/13)-40 = 440/13
Magnesium added = 50% of x = (50*80/26)-80 lbs = (2000/13)-80 = 960/13

bobbym · 2013-01-21 11:49:22

Hi;

There are many ways to solve a problem. That should be enough to make the OP happy!

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2013-01-20 22:39:12

mixture problem

#2 2013-01-20 23:38:33

Re: mixture problem

#3 2013-01-20 23:47:42

Re: mixture problem

#4 2013-01-21 00:47:33

Re: mixture problem

#5 2013-01-21 11:37:23

Re: mixture problem

#6 2013-01-21 11:49:22

Re: mixture problem

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