Question

An animal shelter spends $1.00 per day to care for each cat and $4.50 per day to care for each dog. Emily noticed that the shelter spent $136.50 caring for cats and dogs on Wednesday. Emily found a record showing that there were a total of 49 cats and dogs on Wednesday. How many cats were at the shelter on Wednesday?

Answer 1

Answer: There are 24 cats at the shelter on Wednesday.

Explanation:

Since we have given that

Cost of an animal shelter per day to care for each cat =$1.00

Cost of an animal shelter per day to care for each dog = $4.50

Let number of cats be c

Let number of dogs be d

According to question,

`c+d=49\\\\c+4.5d=136.5`

We will use "Substitution Method ",

`c=49-d`

Put in the second equation :

`c+4.5d=136.5`

`49-d+4.5d=136.5\\\\49+3.5d=136.5\\\\3.5d=136.5-49\\\\3.5d=87.5\\\\d=(87.5)/(3.5)\\\\d=25`

so, Number of dogs = 25

and

`c=49-d\\\\c=49-25\\\\c=24`

Hence, Number of cats is 24.