missed this in parade magazine, please answer for me
man owns cows and chickens that total 30
when the son couned them his answer was 74 legs how many chicken did the farmer own
x=cows y=chickens
x+y=30
4x+2y =74
please finish for me
Solve one equation for one variable. Take the first one, it's easier. Solve for x. You'll get x = 30 - y. Plug this new value in for x in the second equation: 4(30-y) + 2y = 74. Now, solve for y. You should be able to plug in a solution for y into the first equation to get an answer for x.
Let's solve the equations step by step:
1. Start with the first equation: x + y = 30. We can rewrite this as x = 30 - y.
2. Substitute this value of x in the second equation: 4x + 2y = 74 becomes 4(30 - y) + 2y = 74.
3. Expand the equation: 120 - 4y + 2y = 74.
4. Combine like terms: -2y = -46.
5. Divide both sides of the equation by -2 to solve for y: y = 23.
6. Substitute the value of y back into the first equation to find x: x + 23 = 30. Simplify to get x = 7.
So, the farmer owned 7 cows and 23 chickens.