Question

A delivery truck is transporting boxes of two sizes: large and small. The combined weight of a large box and a small box is 85 pounds. The truck is transporting 50 large boxes and 55 small boxes. If the truck is carrying a total of 4375 pounds in boxes, how much does each type of box weigh?
Large box: - pounds
Small box: - pounds

Answer 1

Let small box = X and large box = y

Set up two equations:

X + Y = 85 pounds.

Rewrite as X = 85 - y

and:

55x + 50Y = 4375 pounds.

Replace x:

55(85 - y) + 50y = 4375

Use distributive property:

4675 - 55y + 50y = 4375

Combine like terms:

4675 - 5y = 4375

Subtract 4675 from both sides:

-5y = -300

Divide both sides by -5:

y = 60

This is the weight of the large box.

The small box would weigh 85 - 60 = 25 pounds.

Large box = 60 pounds.

Small box = 25 pounds.