Cashews $5 a pound and peanuts $2, 40 pounds of peanuts is mixed with some cashews they sell for $3 a pound

Question

how many pounds of cashews should be mixed with peanuts so the mixture will produce the same revenue as would selling the nuts separatel?

Answer 1

You need two equations to solve for two unknowns.

 

x + y = 40, so, y = 40 - x

 

5x + 2 y = 120

 

(120 is 40 lbs at 3 per pound)

 

Substitute:

 

5x + 2(40 -x) = 120

 

5x + 80 -2x = 120

 

x = 13.33333etc

y = 26.66666etc

 

These are repeating decimals.