substituting in gives 33.28 g = (33.28 g - (y)(39.948g/moll))/28.017g/mol)*28.017g/mol + (y)(39.948)
After everything cancels out it just gives 33.28=33.28 .
So am I doing something wrong?
Yes, if you think about it solving for a variable in an equation and then substituting that back into the same equation should just tell you 1=1. The trick here is that you have to use two equations.
What do we know?
[tex]m_{TOT}=n_{N_2}M_{N_2}+n_{Ar}M_{Ar}\\n_{TOT}=n_{N_2}+n_{Ar}[/tex]
Since it's easier than doing it with the first equation, let's solve for n_N2 with the second equation...
[tex]n_{N_2}=n_{TOT}-n_{Ar}[/tex]
Now if you put this substitution for n_N2 into the first equation (for m_TOT) you will be able to solve for n_Ar.