16Hit1600
AlgebraVery hardWater added to dilute a solution

Algebra practice question

A 200-millilitre solution is 15 percent salt. How many millilitres of pure water must be added so that the solution becomes 10 percent salt?

Answer: 100

The salt stays at 30 millilitres, so 30 = 0.10(200 + w) gives w = 100.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 20
20 uses 10 percent of 200.
If you answered 50
50 uses 30 = 0.10(200 + w) with a division slip.
If you answered 300
300 is the final volume, not the water added.

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