Simplifying an empirical formula?

Question

An analysis of an unknown compound found it contained 39.86 grams potassium, 28.04 grams chromium and 57.10 grams of oxygen.
Find the empirical formula.

My answer: K34Cr18O119
Can it be simplified? Is it possible I did the problem wrong?

Thanks so much!

What type of compound is it, ionic, covalent or a combination of both?
How did you determine this?

Isn't there a middle step where you take divide all three by the smallest number, then you mulitply by a number to make them whole?

Answer 1

I think you made an error somewhere along the way.

Start with the masses of each and divide each mass by the atomic weight of the element. That'll give you:

K 1.02
Cr 0.53
O 3.5

Now, since Cr is pretty close to 0.5, just multiply everything by 2 which gives you:

K 2
Cr 1
O 7

That should be the empirical formula, but I don't like it...