Final answer:
To determine the number of dogs at the shelter when the number of cats is five times that of dogs, and their combined total is 18, an equation was set up and solved to show there are 3 dogs.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the shelter has 5 times as many cats as dogs and there are a total of 18 dogs and cats together, we can set up an equation to solve for the number of dogs. Let d represent the number of dogs and 5d represent the number of cats. The equation is d + 5d = 18.
Combining like terms, we get 6d = 18. Dividing both sides of the equation by 6 gives us d = 3. Therefore, the shelter has 3 dogs.