Nutritionist Word Problem

[Eire]

Hi,
A women is told by her nutritionist that she must take 30mg of vitamin C and 18mg of vitamin E each day.

She can take orange and/or blue tablets.

Each orange tablet contains 3mg of vitamin C and 3mg of vitamin E
Each blue tablet contains 5mg of vitamin C and 1mg of E

How many of each should she take each day?
thanks

 

[stapel]

A women is told by her nutritionist that she must take 30mg of vitamin C and 18mg of vitamin E each day. She can take orange and/or blue tablets. Each orange tablet contains 3mg of vitamin C and 3mg of vitamin E. Each blue tablet contains 5mg of vitamin C and 1mg of E. How many of each should she take each day?

What are your thoughts? What have you tried? How far have you gotten? Where are you stuck?

When you reply, please include a clear listing of your efforts so far, so we can (1) see which method you're supposed to be using and (2) where you got stuck in applying this method. Thank you!

 

[Eire]

Eire

What are your thoughts? What have you tried? How far have you gotten? Where are you stuck?

When you reply, please include a clear listing of your efforts so far, so we can (1) see which method you're supposed to be using and (2) where you got stuck in applying this method. Thank you!

Hi,
I started by picking a number 6 orange tablets, I saw this would be to large.....so I tried 5 orange....that gave me room for blue tablets.....so I saw 5 orange & 3 blue works.....but I like a better more math way to solve the problem......thanks

 

[Eire]

Eire

Hi,
I got an answer 5 orange & 3 blue........but I got the answer by picking. Number and working backwards. I'm looking for a more math way to solve the problem
Thanks

 

[ksdhart]

Guessing and checking is certainly a valid solution, but you're right that it's not really feasible for problems working with larger numbers. Here's a great hint for how to approach this problem and other ones like it.

Say the woman takes O orange tablets and B blue tablets. Can you create an expression representing how much Vitamin C she will take? Can you create an expression representing how much Vitamin E she will take? You know from reading the problem that the woman takes 30 mg of Vitamin C. So what does that suggest your next step should be? Apply similar reasoning for the amount of Vitamin E. Now try playing around with what you have and you'll find your solution.