Limiting Reagent

Definition

Limiting Reagent in plain English

Use Limiting Reagent when a construction needs several resources and the scarcest one caps the total. Clues include only enough for, limited by, or at most as many as. Compute how many finished units each resource allows; the minimum is the answer. Averaging resources invents units you cannot finish; the min reagent is the true cap. Ignore leftover scraps of the abundant resource once the scarce one is gone. Micro-example: each widget needs 2 bolts and 3 washers; you have 20 bolts and 24 washers. Bolts allow 10 widgets, washers allow 8, so the answer is 8 even though bolts remain. If leftover parts cannot form another unit, ignore them; the answer is whole finished units only.

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