Final answer:
There were 18 roses and 6 birches planted in the school's backyard.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve this problem, we can set up a system of equations. Let's say the number of girls in the class is g and the number of boys is b. Since each girl planted 3 roses and every 3 boys planted 1 birch, we can write the equations as 3g = c and b/3 = c, where c represents the total number of plants. We are given that the total number of plants is 24, so we can set up the equation 3g + b/3 = 24. Now we have two equations with two variables, so we can solve for g and b by substitution or elimination. After solving, we find that there are 6 girls and 18 boys in the class. Therefore, there are 6 x 3 = 18 roses and 18/3 = 6 birches planted in the school's backyard.
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