A tank initially contains a solution of 10 pounds of salt in 60 gallons of water. Water with 1/2 pound of salt per gallon is added to the tank at 6 gal/min, and the resulting solution leaves at the same rate. Find the quantity Q(t) of salt in the tank at time t > 0.

Salt flows into the tank at a rate of

(1/2 lb/gal) * (6 gal/min) = 3 lb/min

and flows out at a rate of

(Q(t)/60 lb/gal) * (6 gal/min) = 6Q(t) lb/min

The net rate of change of the amount of salt in the tank at time is then governed by

Solve for :

The tank starts with 10 lb of salt, so that Q(0) = 10. This gives us

so that the amount of salt in the tank at time is given by

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step-by-step explanation: