A small, medium, and large sized chicken were weighing themselves on a scale. The large and medium chicken steppedon the scale together with a total weight of 30 lbs. The large and small chicken had a total weight of 25 lbs. The small and medium chickens had a total weight of 13 lbs. What will the scale read when all three step on together? How much does each chicken weigh? Explain how you found your answer.

Question

A small, medium, and large sized chicken were weighing themselves on a scale. The large and medium chicken steppedon the scale together with a total weight of 30 lbs. The large and small chicken had a total weight of 25 lbs. The small and medium chickens had a total weight of 13 lbs. What will the scale read when all three step on together? How much does each chicken weigh? Explain how you found your answer.

Answer 1

what did you not understand on my post on this?

Answer 2

To find the weight of each chicken and the combined weight when all three chickens step on the scale together, we need to solve a system of equations.

Let's assign variables to represent the weight of each chicken. Let's say:
- Weight of the small chicken = x lbs
- Weight of the medium chicken = y lbs
- Weight of the large chicken = z lbs

From the given information, we have three equations:

1. Large + Medium = 30 lbs
z + y = 30

2. Large + Small = 25 lbs
z + x = 25

3. Small + Medium = 13 lbs
x + y = 13

We can now solve this system of equations to find the weight of each chicken.

First, let's solve equations 2 and 3 simultaneously to eliminate the variable "small chicken (x)."

x + y = 13 (equation 3)
x = 13 - y (isolating x in terms of y)

Substituting this value of x into equation 2, we get:

z + (13 - y) = 25 (equation 2)
z = 12 + y (isolating z in terms of y)

Now we have expressions for both x and z in terms of y. We can substitute these values into equation 1:

(12 + y) + y = 30 (equation 1)
12 + 2y = 30
2y = 18
y = 9

Now that we have found the weight of the medium chicken (y = 9 lbs), let's substitute this value back into equation 3 to find the weight of the small chicken (x):

x + 9 = 13
x = 13 - 9
x = 4

Similarly, let's substitute the value of y into equation 2 to find the weight of the large chicken (z):

z + 4 = 25
z = 25 - 4
z = 21

Therefore, the weight of the small chicken (x) is 4 lbs, the weight of the medium chicken (y) is 9 lbs, and the weight of the large chicken (z) is 21 lbs.

Now, to find the combined weight when all three chickens step on the scale together, we add the weights:

4 lbs (small chicken) + 9 lbs (medium chicken) + 21 lbs (large chicken) = 34 lbs

Hence, the scale will read 34 lbs when all three chickens step on it together.