SOLUTION: There are 19 animals in the field. Some are goats and some are ducks. There are 72 legs in all. How many of each animal are in the field?

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Question 1187928: There are 19 animals in the field. Some are goats and some are ducks. There are 72 legs in all. How many of each animal are in the field?

Answer by ikleyn(52786)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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There are 19 animals in the field. Some are goats and some are ducks.
There are 72 legs in all. How many of each animal are in the field?
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Let x be the number of goats;  then the number of ducks is (19-x).


There is no need to remind that the ducs have two legs, while the goats have four legs.


So we write an equation for the total of legs


    4x + 2*(19-x) = 72.


Simplify and find x


    4x + 38 - 2x = 72

    4x - 2x = 72 - 38

      2x    =   34

       x    =   34/2 = 17.


ANSWER.  There are 17 goats and 19-17 = 2 ducks.


CHECK.   17*4 + 2*2 = 68 + 4 = 72  total legs.   ! Correct !

Solved.

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