Conversions

Question

A hummingbird needs 10 grams of sugar and 8 grams of protein each day. One honeysuckle flower provides 20 mg of sugar and 10 mg of protein. One nasturtium flower provides 10 mg of sugar and 10 mg of protein. It takes 5 seconds to feed from a nasturtium and 10 seconds per honeysuckle. How many minutes does it take to get exactly the food it needs?

Answer 1

Let x = number of honeysuckle flowers visited

     y = number of nasturtium flowers visited

 

20 mg = 0.02 g and 10 mg = 0.01 g 

 

0.02x + 0.01y = 10   (sugar)

0.01x + 0.01y = 8     (protein)

 

Subtract the equations to get 0.01x = 2      So, x = 200

 

0.02(200) + 0.01y = 10

4 + 0.01y = 10

      0.01y = 6     So, y = 600

 

The hummingbird visited 200 honeysuckle flowers and 600 nasturtium flowers.

 

Time spent at honeysuckle = 200(5 sec) = 1000 sec = 16.6666 min

Time spent on nasturtiums = 600(10 sec) = 6000 sec = 100 min

 

Total time = 116.666 min = 116 2/3 minutes