Final answer:
To find the total number of animals in the pet shop, use the ratio between dogs and cats to determine the number of cats, then add the number of dogs and cats together. The total is 28.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to find the total number of animals in the pet shop, we need to determine the number of cats as well. The given ratio of dogs to cats is 3:4. If there are 12 dogs, we can use this ratio to find the number of cats.
Let's set up a proportion:
Dogs/Cats = 3/4
Since the ratio is constant, we can solve for the number of cats by cross-multiplying:
12/Cats = 3/4
Cross-multiplying gives us:
4 * 12 = 3 * Cats
Cats = 16
Now that we know there are 16 cats, we can find the total number of animals by adding the number of dogs and cats:
Total = 12 (dogs) + 16 (cats) = 28
Therefore, the total number of animals in the pet shop is 28.
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