Question

A bird can lay either white or brown eggs. Three white eggs

and
two brown eggs have a mass of 13 grams, while five white eggs
and four brown eggs have a mass of 24 grams. Find the mass
of a brown egg and of a white egg.

Answer 1

Mass of brown egg = 3.5 grams

Mass of white egg = 2 grams

Explanation:

Let

Mass of brown eggs = x

Mass of white eggs = y

3y + 2x = 13 (1)

5y + 4x = 24 (2)

Multiply (1) by 5 and (2) by 3 to eliminate y

15y + 10x = 65 (3)

15y + 12x = 72 (4)

Subtract (3) from (4)

12x - 10x = 72 - 65

2x = 7

x = 7/2

x = 3.5

Substitute x = 3.5 into (1)

3y + 2x = 13 (1)

3y + 2(3.5) = 13

3y + 7 = 13

3y = 13 - 7

3y = 6

y = 6/3

y = 2

Mass of brown egg = 3.5 grams

Mass of white egg = 2 grams