Question

Mia conducted a five hour experiment. She used a liquid solution. The solution decreased by 9/8 ounces every hour for 5 hours. At the end of the experiment, there were 99/8 ounces of the solution remaining. How many ounces of solution did Mia start with? *

Answer 1

Given:

The solution decreased by $\dfrac{9}{8}$ ounces every hour for 5 hours.

Remaining solution at the end of the experiment = $\dfrac{99}{8}$ ounces.

To find:

The initial amount of solution.

Solution:

Let the initial amount of the solution be x.

The solution decreased by $\dfrac{9}{8}$ ounces every hour for 5 hours.

Total decreased amount  $=\dfrac{9}{8}\times 5$

                                          $=\dfrac{45}{8}$

Initial amount = Remining amount + Decreased amount of solution.

$x=\dfrac{99}{8}+\dfrac{45}{8}$

$x=\dfrac{99+45}{8}$

$x=\dfrac{144}{8}$

$x=18$

Therefore, the initial amount of solution is 18 ounces.