Question

An animal shelter has five times as many cats as dogs. Find the total number of cats if the total number of cats and dogs is 48.

Answer 1

Call dogs x and cats y. so from the information you can write two equations

Five times as many cats as dogs

5x=y

total number of cats and dogs is 48

x+y=48

now you have two simultaneous equations

5x=y
x+y=48

Answer 2

Do you know how to solve now?

Answer 3

i need a little more help

Answer 4

Did you get stuck?

Answer 5

yea

Answer 6

Well the first equation is already solved for y, so you can plug that expression into the other equation for y

x+5x=48

now just solve for x

Answer 7

oh ok

Answer 8

wait why is there 2 x's

Answer 9

In the first equation 5x=y

so since y equals 5x we can plug 5x into the second equation in place of y, so we only have one variable to solve for

Answer 10

is it 8

Answer 11

Yes x=8

so now that you know what x is, plug it into either equation and then solve for y

Answer 12

6

Answer 13

plug 8 into the second equation for x...

8+y=48

so y=?

Answer 14

40

Answer 15

Right so thats the number of cats

Answer 16

thx

Answer 17

You're welcome