[violavillette]

I am having problems with a soultion question. The question is as follows:
a chemist needs 500 g of a 5% aqueous HCl solution, assume that a 37% by mass HCl stock solution is used to prepare it. Show how to determine the solute and solvent.

I think I need to find the molarity and use the equation M1xV1=M2xV2, but the percentages are throwing me off. Does it have something to do with the percent by mass equation, percent by mass= mass of solute/ mass of solutionx 100%?
If so, how? If not, how do I find molarity with percentages? Thanks so much for any help. Sadly, I kick butt at biology, but stink at chemistry.

[Borek]

No need for molarity. What mass of HCl do you need in final solution? In what mass of 37% solution will that amount of HCl be present?

Give your answer as mass of the 37% solution. Note, that you are asked how to prepare 500 g of solution - that's no accident. For volumes you should check solution densities, whoever prepared the question spared you the effort of looking for density tables.