A barrel holds 4 quarts of tar and 4 quarts of turpentine.
A barrel holds 4 quarts of tar and 4 quarts of turpentine. How many quarts of turpentine must be added to the container to create a mixture that is 3 parts tar to 5 parts turpentine by volume?
Answer/Solution
8/3
Steps/Work
An alternate to the alligation method is the more direct/algebraic method:
Let x be the amount of turpentine to be added.
New total amount of turpentine = 4+x
Total amount of tar= 4
New total = 4+4+x=8+x
Final ratio required (for turpentine) = 5/(5+3)=5/8
Thus, (4+x)/(8+x) = 5/8 --> solving for x you get x = 8/3.
D is thus the correct answer.
Let x be the amount of turpentine to be added.
New total amount of turpentine = 4+x
Total amount of tar= 4
New total = 4+4+x=8+x
Final ratio required (for turpentine) = 5/(5+3)=5/8
Thus, (4+x)/(8+x) = 5/8 --> solving for x you get x = 8/3.
D is thus the correct answer.