In: Math
Scientific studies suggest that some animals regulate their intake of different types of food available in the environment to achieve a balance between the proportion, and ultimately the total amount, of macronutrients, consumed. Macro-nutrients are categorized as protein, carbohydrate or fat/lipid. A seminal study on the macro-nutrient intake of migratory locust nymphs (Locusta migratoria) suggested that the locust nymphs studied sought and ate combinations of food that balanced the intake of protein to carbohydrate in a ratio of 45:55 [1]. Assume that a locust nymph finds itself in an environment where only two sources of food are available, identified as food X and food Y . Food X is 20% protein and 80% carbohydrate, whereas food Y is 70% protein and 30% carbohydrate. Assuming that the locust eats exactly 100 mg of food per day, determine how many milligrams of food X and food Y the locust needs to eat per day to reach the desired intake balance between protein and carbohydrate.