Glass Beads For Sale

Factor traded 4 glass beads and 3lb of gunpowder for 4lb of caviar and 8 furs?

On the next day he traded 2lb of gunpowder and 1 bottle of whiskey for 5lb of caviar and 4 furs. On third day he traded 1lb of gunpowder and 2 bottles of whiskey for 6lb of caviar and 2oz gold. How many glass beads can you expect to obtain for 1oz of gold?

Public Comments

1. easy 200 years of destruction, genocide and a decimated culture, exploited and enslaved when they quit trading gold for trinkets.
2. b = beads p = powder c = caviar f = fur w = whiskey g = gold 4b+3p=4c+8f 2p+w=5c+4f p+2w=6c+2g multiply the 2nd equation by 2 and subtract the 3rd equation to eliminate the whiskey variable 4p+2w=10c+8f p+2w=6c+2g 3p=4c+8f-2g substitute that into the first equation 4b+4c+8f-2g=4c+8f 4b-2g=0 4b=2g g=2b 2 glass beads for 1 oz gold.
3. bead = b powder = p caviar = c fur = f whiskey = w gold = g eq 1 4b+3p = 4c+8f eq 2 2p+w = 5c+4f eq 3 p+2w = 6c+2g 2 times (eq 2) - (eq 1) 6c = p+2w-4b 6c+4b = p+2w = 6c+2g 4b = 2g 2b = g answer = 2 glass beads for 1 oz of gold