Question

A farmer has some rabbits and chickens. Altogether they have 58 heads and 174 feets. How many rabbits and chickens are there?

Answer 1

58 chickens and 116 rabbits

Explanation:

Rabbits have 4 legs. Chickens have 2 legs.

4R+2C=174

R+C=58

R=58-C

4x(58-C) + 2C=174

4x58-4C+2C= 174

4x58-2C=174

232-2C=174

232-174= 2C

58=2C (1 chicken)

174-58=116

58 chickens and 116 rabbits

Answer 2

29 rabbits and 29 chickens.

Explanation:

Let there be r rabbits and c chickens.

Then we have the system:

r + c = 58

4r + 2c = 174

Multiplying the first equation by 2:

2r + 2c = 116

Subtracting this equation from the second equation:

2r = 174-116 = 58

r = 29

and c = 58-29 = 29.