How many pounds of red licorice bits that sell for $1.97 per pound should be mixed with 5 pounds of lemon gumdrops that sell for $2.24 per pound to make a candy mixture that could be sold for $2 per pound?
A) 42 lb of red licorice bits
B) 43 lb of red licorice bits
C) 41 lb of red licorice bits
D) 36 lb of red licorice bits
E) 40 lb of red licorice bits

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Let x be the number of pounds of red licorice bits needed.

The total cost of the red licorice bits is $1.97x, and the total cost of the lemon gumdrops is $2.24(5) = $11.20.

The total weight of the candy mixture is x+5 pounds.

Since the candy mixture should sell for $2 per pound, the total revenue from selling x+5 pounds of the mixture is $2(x+5) = $2x + $10.

We want the total cost of the candy mixture to be equal to the total revenue, so we can set up the equation:

$1.97x + $11.20 = $2x + $10

Solving for x, we get:

$0.03x = $1.20

x = 40

Therefore, 40 pounds of red licorice bits should be mixed with 5 pounds of lemon gumdrops to make a candy mixture that could be sold for $2 per pound. The answer is E.

How Many Pounds of Red Licorice Bits That Sell for $1.97