mixture problem

Find the cost per pound of meatloaf mixture made from 3lb of ground beef costing $1.99 per pound and 1 pound of ground turkey costing $1.39 per pound.

The sum of the quantity before mixing is equal to quantity after mixing

3x1.99 + 1x1.39= x(1.99 + 1.39)
7.36=3.38x
x= 2.18

Really? Higher than either with which you started? That can't be right. Make sure things make sense.

The ONLY thing not known in this problem statement is the price of the mixture.

Try this: M is the price of the mixture.

3*1.99 + 1*1.39 = 4*M

You tried to pull M out of your hat simply by adding the other two pieces. 1.39 < M < 1.99 If you get anything outside this, it's no good.

Hekkim Smith54!

Find the cost per pound of meatloaf mixture made from 3lb of ground beef costing $1.99 per pound
and 1 pound of ground turkey costing $1.39 per pound.

The sum of the quantity before mixing is equal to quantity after mixing. . Right!

3 x 1.99 + 1 x 1.39 = x(1.99 + 1.39) . wrong

Click to expand...

. . \(\displaystyle \begin{array}{ccccccc}\text{Beef:} & \text{3 lbs }@\; 1.99\text{/lb} &=& 5.97 \\ \text{Turkey:} & \text{1 lb }@\; 1.39\text{/lb} &=& 1.39 \\ \hline \text{Mix:} & \text{4 lbs }\;@\;\;x\text{/lb} &=& 7.36 \end{array}\) . \(\displaystyle \begin{array}{ccc} \\ \\ \Leftarrow & \text{There is our equation!} \end{array}\)

. . . . . \(\displaystyle 4x \;=\;7.36 \quad\Rightarrow\quad x \:=\:1.84\)

\(\displaystyle \text{The meatloaf costs }\$1.84\text{ per pound.}\)

Gee, it's simply: find average of 1.39, 1.99, 1.99, 199