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G7 3.5

Mixture Problems

1. Use table to solve Mixture problems.

2. Solve Mixture Problems.

Specific Objectives

1. Use table to solve Mixture problems.

2. Solve Mixture Problems.

Materials

o Marker / pen
o Bond paper / intermediate paper/ scratch notebook

Lesson
Chemist and pharmacists often have to change the concentration of
solutions and other mixtures. In these solutions, the amount of a particular
ingredients in the solution or mixture is expressed as percent of the total. The
solution of a percent mixture problem is based on the Equation Q = Ar, where Q
is the quantity of a substance in the solution, r is the percent of the concentration,
and A is the amount of solution.

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 The red wine in the supermarket with 750 mL / 12% vol on its label means
that 12% of the 750 mL red wine or 90 mL of the red wine is an alcohol. Using the
percent mixture model Q = Ar, we have:

A = 750 mL Q = Ar
r = 12% or o.12 = 750 (0.12)
Q=? = 90

Thus, the bottle contains 90 mL of alcohol.

A solution is a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances which

components are uniformly distributed all throughout. We usually think one of the
substances as being dissolved in the other. The substance being dissolved is
called the solute and the substance in which the solute is dissolved is called the
solvent. For example, when we add coffee to hot water, we say that coffee is
dissolved in water. If we add iodine to alcohol, then the iodine is dissolved in
alcohol. In the preceding examples, coffee and iodine are the solutes while water
and alcohol are the solvents. Usually, solvent is greater in quantity than solute.

Solutions are usually labeled by the percentages of the solutes. This refers
to the strength of the solution. That is, a solution that is 20% salt is twice as
"strong" as a 10% salt solution. We add water to the solution to weaken it; the
water that we added is 0% salt. We add salt to the solution to increase its strength.
Pure salt is 100% salt.

In solving solution or mixture problems, we label each solution by the

percentage of solute in it, rather than by its value. When the amount of a given
solution is multiplied by its strength, then we get the amount of solute it contains.

General guidelines for solving Mixture/Solution Problem:

1. Label each solution with its corresponding percentage.

2. Give the total amount of the combined solution.
3. Form the equation by multiplying vertically.
4. Check whether your answer is reasonable or not.

Note: The above are guidelines only and are NOT a step-by-step guide to solving
Mixture/Solution Problem. Note that a proper representation of terms or
expressions are still the key for having a correct Equation.

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Example 1

One solution is 80% acid and another one is 20% acid. How much of each
solution is needed to make 100 gallons that is 65% acid?

SOLUTIONS:

How much of each solution is needed?

What we know:
1st solution = 80% acid.
2nd solution = 20% acid
Final solution = 100 gallons that contains 65% acid
Let:
x = amount of the 1st Solution
100 – x = amount of the 2nd Solution

Solution Amount of Rate of Acid Amount of Acid

Solution
1st x 80% or 0.8 0.8 x
2nd 100 – x 20% or 0.2 0.2 (100 – x) or
20 – 0.2 x
FINAL 100 65% 65

Equation:
Take note that Amount of Acid = Amount of Solution times Rate of Acid.

0.8 x + 20 – 0.2 x = 65 Combining Like Terms

0.6 x = 45 Divide both side by 0.6
x = 75

Therefore, if the amount of the 1st solution is 75 gallons. Thus, the amount
of the 2nd solution needed is 25 gallons.

Example 2
Coffee worth $1.05 per pound is mixed with coffee worth 85¢ per pound to
obtain 20 pounds of a mixture worth 90¢ per pound. How many pounds of each
type are used?

SOLUTIONS:

How many pounds of each coffee type are used?

What we know:
Cost of 1st coffee = $1.05 or 105 ¢
Cost of 2nd coffee = $0.85 or 85 ¢
Cost of mixed coffee = $0.9 or 90 ¢

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Let:
x = amount in pounds of the 1st coffee
20 – x = amount in pounds of the 2nd coffee

Coffee Cost per lb Amount in Pounds Total Cost

Type
1st $1.05 or 105 ¢ x 1.05 x
2nd $0.85 or 85 ¢ 20 – x 0.85 (20 – x) or
17 – 0.85 x
FINAL $0.9 or 90 ¢ 20 18

Equation:
Take note that Total Cost = Cost per pound times of Amount in pound.

1.05 x + 17 – 0.85 x = 18 Combining Like Terms

0.2 x = 1 Divide both side by 0.2
x=5

Therefore, five pounds of coffee worth $1.05 per pound are used, and
fifteen pounds of 85¢‐per‐pound coffee are used.

Example 3

Solution A is 50% hydrochloric acid, while solution B is 75% hydrochloric

acid. How many liters of each solution should be used to make 100 liters of a
solution which is 60% hydrochloric acid?

SOLUTIONS:

How many liters of each solution should be used to make 100 liters of a
solution which is 60% hydrochloric acid?

What we know:
Solution A is 50% Hydrochloric Acid
Solution B is 75% Hydrochloric Acid
Final Solution is 60% Hydrochloric Acid
Let:
x = Rate of acid of solution A
100 – x = Rate of acid of solution B

Name % of acid Amount in Liters Concentration of acid

solution A 50% x .50 x
solution B 75% 100–x .75(100–x)
final solution 60% 100 .60(100)

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Equation:
Take note that the total Concentration of Acid of Both Solutions is the
amount of Acid in Final Solution.

This means that when we add Concentration of Solution A to Solution B, we can

have the concentration we need for the final solution.

Equation:
0.50 x + 0.75(100 – x) = .60(100)
0.50 x + 75 – 0.75 x = 60
-0.25 x = -15
x = 60

Therefore, using the chart, 60 liters of solution A and 40 liters of solution B

are used.

EXERCISES

BASIC
Complete the table below.

1) Jana has 70 mL of a 50% methane solution. How much of 80%

solution must she add so the final solution is 60% methane?
Complete the table below, and write the Necessary Equation to
solve the problem:

Name Amount of Percent of Methane Amount of

Solution Methane
1st Solution
2nd Solution
Final

EQUATION:

INTERMEDIATE

Write the necessary Equation to solve the following problems:

1. A tank contains 8000 liters of a solution that is 40% acid. How much
water should be added to make a solution that is 30% acid?

2. How much pure antifreeze should be added to 5 liters of a 30%

mixture of antifreeze to make a solution that is 50% antifreeze?

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 3. You have 12 kilograms of 10% saline solution and another solution of
3% strength. How many kilograms of the second should be added to
the first to get a 5% solution?

ADVANCED

Solve the given problems.

1. How many liters of a solvent that costs per liter must be mixed with
6 liters of a solvent that costs per liter to make a solvent that costs
per liter?
2. How many kilograms of hard candy that cost per kg must be mixed
with 24 kg of jellybeans that cost per kg to make a mixture that
sells for per kg?

Closure

A. Please check the box if you can do it already.

• I can represent information needed thru tables.

• I can solve Mixture/Solution Problem
• I still need guidance in solving Mixture/Solution Problems.

B. If you have questions in mind, please use the space below to address it.
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References

Alferez, Merle S., Duro, Ma. Cecilia A., Alferez, Gerard S. 2004., Intermediate
Algebra. Philippines, MSA Publishing House.,

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