Porisma

Worked solution

Restrict a free parameter to feasible donor counts

A blood donation drive collected 520 litres from 1,200 donors, each with a unique type A, B or O. The volume collected per donor is:

Blood typeVolume per donor (litres)
A0.35
B0.40
O0.45

By writing down a system of equations, find the range of possible numbers of type O donors.

[2017/MI/Promo/I/2]

CJC · Lecture · Example 8

Define counts and formulate

Let x,y,zx,y,z be the numbers of type A, B and O donors. Then x+y+z=1200x+y+z=1200 and 0.35x+0.40y+0.45z=5200.35x+0.40y+0.45z=520. The printed calculator result is x=−800+zx=-800+z, y=2000−2zy=2000-2z, z=zz=z.

How did this part go?

Interpret nonnegative integer counts

All three counts must be nonnegative integers. From x=z−800≥0x=z-800\ge0, z≥800z\ge800; from y=2000−2z≥0y=2000-2z\ge0, z≤1000z\le1000. Hence every integer zz from 800 to 1000 inclusive is possible. At z=800z=800, (x,y,z)=(0,400,800)(x,y,z)=(0,400,800); at z=1000z=1000, it is (200,0,1000)(200,0,1000). The formulas produce valid integer counts throughout that interval.

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Examine the model’s assumption

The lecturer asks for an assumption: each donor can donate the required volume according to their blood type. The per-type volumes are fixed by the stated model. The equations and range depend on that assumption; the mathematical problem is not a claim about actual donation practice.

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Common mistakes

A real-valued calculator family is broader than feasible donor counts. Zero donors of one type are allowed by the printed nonnegative-count interpretation.

Solution notes

Student and Teacher PDF page 10 compared. Student printed page 170; Teacher visible footer 170 (underlying extracted label 170). No marks are printed.

Read the hint