Systems of Equations Mixture Problems

A grocer sells cashews for $8 per pound and peanuts for $4 per pound. The grocer wants to sell 100 pounds of mixed nuts for $5 per pound. How many pounds of each type of nut should the grocer use?

• The grocer should use 40 pounds of cashews and 60 pounds of peanuts.

• The grocer should use 30 pounds of cashews and 70 pounds of peanuts.

• The grocer should use 50 pounds of cashews and 50 pounds of peanuts.

• The grocer should use 25 pounds of cashews and 75 pounds of peanuts.

A customer at a store paid $64 for 3 large candles and 4 small candles. At the same store, a second customer paid $68 for 1 large candle and 8 small candles. The price of each large candle is the same, and the price of each small candle is the same. Which system of equations can be used to find the price in dollars of each large candle, x, and each small candle, y?

• 4y = 3x + 64

  8y = x + 68

• 4y = 3x + 64

  8y = x + 60

• 3x + 4y = 64

  x + 8y = 68

• 3x + 4y = 64

  x + 8y = 60

A customer at a store paid $64 for 3 large candles and 4 small candles. At the same store, a second customer paid $4 more than the first customer for 1 large candle and 8 small candles. The price of each large candle is the same, and the price of each small candle is the same. Which system of equations can be used to find the price in dollars of each large candle, x, and each small candle, y?

• 4y = 3x + 64

  8y = x + 68

• 4y = 3x + 64

  8y = x + 60

• 3x + 4y = 64

  x + 8y = 68

• 3x + 4y = 64

  x + 8y = 60

A customer at a store paid $64 for 3 large candles and 4 small candles. At the same store, a second customer paid $4 more than the first customer for 1 large candle and 8 small candles. The price of each large candle is the same, and the price of each small candle is the same. Which system of equations can be used to find the price in dollars of each large candle, x, and each small candle, y?

• 4y = 3x + 64

  8y = x + 68

• 4y = 3x + 64

  8y = x + 60

• 3x + 4y = 64

  x + 8y = 68

• 3x + 4y = 64

  x + 8y = 60

The school that Stefan goes to is selling tickets to a choral performance. On the first day of ticket sales the school sold 3 senior citizen tickets and 1 child ticket for a total of $38. The school took in $52 on the second day by selling 3 senior citizen tickets and 2 child tickets. Which equations represents the system that could be used?

• 1s + 3c = 38
  2s + 3c = 52

• 3s + 1c = 38
  3s + 2c = 52

• s + c = 38
  s + c = 52

• 3s + 3c = 38
  1s + 2c = 52

On Monday Joe bought 10 cups of coffee and 5 doughnuts for his office at the cost of $16.50. It turns out that the doughnuts were more popular than the coffee. On Tuesday he bought 5 cups of coffee and 10 doughnuts for a total of $14.25. Which equations could be used to determine the cost of the coffee?

• 10c + 5d = 14.25
  5c + 10d = 16.50

• 10c + 5d = 16.50
  5c + 10d = 14.25

• c + d = 10
  5c + 10d = 16.50

• c + d = 5
  5c + 10d = 16.50

Caitlin won a bag full of money! She has 49 bills in all. She counts $1430. There are twenty dollar bills and fifty dollar bills. How many of each bill does Caitlin have?  Which system best represents the situation? 

• x + y = 1430
  20x + 50y = 49

• x + y = 49
  10x + 5y = 1430 

• x + y = 49
  20x + 50y = 1430

• x + y = 49
  x + y = 1430

Last season two running backs on the Steelers football team rushed a combined total of 1550 yards.  One rushed 4 times as many yards as the other.  Let x and y represent the number of yards each individual player rushed. Which system of equations could be used? 

• x + y = 1550
  y  = 4x

• x + y = 1550
  y = x + 4

• y - x = 1550
  y = 4x

• y = 1550 + x
  y = x + 4

Dennis mowed his next door neighbor’s lawn for a handful of dimes and nickels, 80 coins in all.  Upon completing the job he counted out the coins and it came to $6.60.  Which system of equations could be used to find the exact number of dimes and nickels? 

• d + n = 6.60
  .10d + .05n = 80

• d + n = 80
  d + n = 6.60

• d + n = 80
  .10d + .05n = 6.60

• d + n = 80
  .05d + .10n = 6.60

Some students want to order shirts with their school logo. One company charges $9.65 per shirt plus a setup fee of $43. Another company charges $8.40 per shirt plus a $58 fee. Which equation represents the number of shirts when both companies charge the same amount?

• y = 9.65 + x
  y = 8.40 + x

• y = 9.65x + 43
  y = 8.40x + 58

• y =9.65x
  y = 8.40x

• y = 9.65x - 43
  y = 8.40x - 58