Question

a zookeeper has both flamingos and alligators in his zoo there are 78 feet and 27 heads how many flamingos and aligators are there

Answer 1

15 flamingos and 12 alligators

Explanation:

Because there are 27 heads, that means there is a total of 27 flamingos and alligators. Flamingos have 2 feet and alligators have 4 feet.

1. Set up a system of equations

(x = number of flamingos, y = number of alligators)

1x + 1y = 27 heads

2x + 4y = 78 feet

2. Multiply to get the same coefficient

2(1x + 1y = 27) → 2x + 2y = 54

3. Subtract

2x + 2y = 54

- 2x + 4y = 78

0x + -2y = -24

4. Solve for y

-2y = -24

y = 12

5. Plug in y to solve for x

1x + 1(12) = 27

x + 12 = 27

x = 15