Question

An animal shelter spends $2.00 per day to care for each bird and $5.00 per day to care for each cat. Gabriel noticed that the shelter spent $44.00 caring for birds and cats on Friday. Gabriel found a record showing that there were a total of 13 birds and cats on Friday. How many birds were at the shelter on Friday?

Answer 1

7 birds

Explanation:

No. of birds: x

No. of cats: y

2x + 5y = 44

x + y = 13

x = 13 - y

2(13 - y) + 5y = 44

26 - 2y + 5y = 44

3y = 18

y = 6

x = 13 - 6

x = 7

Answer 2

7 birds

Explanation:

Let b = number of birds

c = number of cats

We know there were 13 birds and cats

b+c =13

It is $2 per bird and $5 per cat for a total of $44

2b+5c =44

Solve b+c =13 for c by subtracting b from each side

c = 13-b

Now we can substitute this into the second equation

2b+5c =44

2b + 5(13-b) =44

Now distribute

2b+65 -5b = 44

Combine like terms

-3b +65 =44

Subtract 65 from each side

-3b +65-65 =44-65

-3b = -21

Divide each side by -3

-3b/-3 = -21/-3

b=7

There were 7 birds

We could also find the number of cats

c =13-7

c =6