On a farm ,the ratio of cows to chickens to horses is 2 to 7 to 3. There are 8 fewer horses than chickens on the farm.How many total animals are on the farm?
If their numbers are x,y,z, then we know
x/y = 2/7
x/z = 2/3
z = y-8
x+y+z = 24
To solve this problem, you can set up equations based on the information given in the problem.
Let's assume the ratio of cows, chickens, and horses is 2x : 7x : 3x, where x is a common factor of all the ratios.
Given that there are 8 fewer horses than chickens, we can write the equation: 3x = 7x - 8.
Simplifying the equation, we get: 4x = 8. Dividing both sides of the equation by 4, we find that x = 2.
Now, we can substitute the value of x back into the ratio to find the number of each animal:
Cows = 2x = 2 * 2 = 4
Chickens = 7x = 7 * 2 = 14
Horses = 3x = 3 * 2 = 6
To find the total number of animals on the farm, we add up the number of cows, chickens, and horses: 4 + 14 + 6 = 24.
Therefore, there are a total of 24 animals on the farm.