Question

The MN Zoo has been given a donation from the State of Minnesota but of course there are some constraints attached to the donation. The zoo has to spend at least $200 to purchase snakes and/or monkeys. Each snake costs $4 and each monkey costs $40. The total number of snakes and/or monkeys the zoo must get is at least 14. It costs $.10 a day to feed a snake and $.50 a day to feed the monkey. If the zoo is trying to keep feeding costs to a minimum, how many of each animal should be bought. Have x = snakes and y = monkeys

Answer 1

MN Zoo should buy 10 snakes and 4 monkeys with the donation funds

Explanation:

1. Let's review the information given to us to answer the question correctly:

MN Zoo has to spend at least US$ 200 in animals

Price of each snake = US$ 4

Price of each monkey = US$ 40

Total number of animals = 14

Daily cost of feeding a snake = US$ 0.10

Daily cost of feeding a monkey = US$ 0.50

2. If the zoo is trying to keep feeding costs to a minimum, how many of each animal should be bought.

For solving the problem, let's build the following system of equations:

x + y = 14

4x + 40y = 200

Solving for x on 1st equation

x + y = 14

x = 14 - y

Solving for y on 2nd equation

4x + 40y = 200

4 (14 - y) + 40y = 200

56 - 4y + 40y = 200

36y = 200 - 56 (Subtracting 56 at both sides)

36y = 144

y = 144/36 = 4

Solving for x on 1st equation

x = 14 - 4

x = 10

MN Zoo should buy 10 snakes and 4 monkeys with the donation funds

The daily feed costs will be US$ 3