Question

Mike wants to make meatloaf. His recipe uses a total of 6 pounds of meat.

If he uses a 3 to 1 ratio of beef to pork, how much pork will he use? Enter your answer as a mixed number in simplest terms.

Answer 1

4.5 pounds of beef, 1.5 pounds of pork.

Answer 2

Let b = the number of pounds of beef

and p = the number of pounds of pork.

Then b + p = 6.

Since the radio of b to p = 3 to 1

therefore

3x = b and x = p.

Substituting gives

3x + x = 6

x = 1.5.