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 type | Volume per donor (litres) |
|---|---|
| A | 0.35 |
| B | 0.40 |
| O | 0.45 |
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 be the numbers of type A, B and O donors. Then and . The printed calculator result is , , .
Interpret nonnegative integer counts
All three counts must be nonnegative integers. From , ; from , . Hence every integer from 800 to 1000 inclusive is possible. At , ; at , it is . The formulas produce valid integer counts throughout that interval.
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.
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.