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Answer:
P = 12 × 3
Explanation:
You are asked for the total number of perches in the yard. Often, it is a good choice to let a variable represent the value that you need to find. We can let P represent the total number of perches in the yard.
Then, you look at the information given in the problem statement, and you consult your knowledge and/or lesson material to determine the relationship between what you are given and what you need to find. The equation will represent that relationship.
In this case, you know from previous knowledge that the total number of perches will be the product of the number on each feeder and the number of feeders. That is, the relevant relation is ...
total perches = (perches per feeder) × (number of feeders)
When the problem information is filled in, the equation becomes ...
P = 12 × 3
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Additional comment
You may be struggling with this question because it is so trivial you can answer it off the top of your head without any equation. Even the equation itself hardly seems worth the effort. Unfortunately, that is modern math curriculum for you. The difficulty is not in the math, but in trying to understand why you would be asked trivial questions with obvious answers.