SOLUTION: There are 5 more pigeons than twice the parrots in a cage of 50 pets.if 5 birds of each are adopted then pigeons becomes double than the parrots. Find the numbers of pigeons and pa

Algebra ->  Percentage-and-ratio-word-problems -> SOLUTION: There are 5 more pigeons than twice the parrots in a cage of 50 pets.if 5 birds of each are adopted then pigeons becomes double than the parrots. Find the numbers of pigeons and pa      Log On


   

Question 1148008: There are 5 more pigeons than twice the parrots in a cage of 50 pets.if 5 birds of each are adopted then pigeons becomes double than the parrots. Find the numbers of pigeons and parrots in the cage.
Found 2 solutions by greenestamps, ikleyn:
Answer by greenestamps(13200) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Whoever wrote this question should go back to elementary school and learn how to speak//write English.

The math isn't so good, either, since the given information leads to a contradiction.

Although the English is atrocious, I THINK the statement of the problem says the number of pigeons is 5 more than twice the number of parrots. So the number of parrots is x, and the number of pigeons is 2x+5.

Then the problem says that 5 of each kind of bird are adopted; that makes the numbers of parrots and pigeons x-5 and 2x.

But then the problem says now the number of pigeons is twice the number of parrots:

2x+=+2%28x-5%29
2x+=+2x-10
0+=+10

Sorry -- there is no solution to that equation.

Answer by ikleyn(52787) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

            It is true that the problem is TWISTED and the exact meaning of the words is "in the fog".

            Probably, it is because English is not a native language of the person who created the problem;

            or, probably, it is a kind of provocation, and the author of the post tries "to check the tutors".

            In any case, I will show the way to solve this problem and to get the solution via some interpretation. 


Let consider the first sentence

    There are 5 more pigeons than twice the parrots in a cage of 50 pets.    (*)

Let limit / constrain ourselves by this sentence for a minute and will look what follows from it.



If "x" is the number of parrots, then the number of pigeons is (2x+5), according to (*).

Also, the total of pets (or of birds) in the cage is 50

    x + (2x+5) = 50.


It implies

    3x = 50 - 5 = 45;   hence

     x =        = 45/3 = 15.


In this way, we just get the ANSWER :  15 parrots and 2*15+5 = 35 = 50-15 pigeons.


So,  treating the problem in this way,  we just solved it,  based on its first sentence  ONLY  (!)

Now we should analyse what the rest of the problem means;  how to interpret it,  and how it influences to the
solution and the answer itself. 


Tutor @greenestamps interprets the term "adopted" as if 5 birds of each kind are taken off from the cage and

transfered/moved/passed to somewhere outside "to the families".


I will interpret it in opposite way as if 5 birds of each kind are ADDED to the cage.

It DOES NOT contradict to the meaning of the word "adopted" - it is one of possible interpretations.


Then the number of parrots becomes  15+5 = 20  and the number of pigeons becomes 35+5 = 40,  and  40 = 2*20,

as the second sentence of the problem states.


Thus I checked the answer above,  and my check shows that the answer is correct.

Thus the problem is completely  SOLVED  via using different interpretation.


================

Surely,  it is  VERY  SLIPPERY  way to formulate  Math problem using the words whose precise meaning
is not known or is not defined.

Strictly saying,  it is a  PROHIBITED  WAY  in  Math.

So,  the formulation would be  MUCH  BETTER  if to replace the term  "ADOPTED"  by the term  "ADDED".


                    At this point, I complete my solution.