Mixture word problem: A chemist has two alloys....

[Linda Meikle]

A chemist has 2 alloys--the first contains 20% gold and 25% lead, the 2nd 30% gold and 50% lead. How many grams of each is needed to make an alloy containing 60 grams of gold and 90 grams of lead? (Use two equations in two variables.)

I tried this:

0.2 x + 0.3y = 60
0.25x+ 0.5y +90

But I did not get the correct answers of 180 and 80. Please help me find my error, because this is driving me crazy! Thank you!

 

[mark07]

There must be a typo somewhere. Your equations are correct and they give x=y=120 grams.

 

[galactus]

I got 120 and 120 also.