Question

A pet store has a total of 60 dogs and cats. There are 10 fewer cats than dogs. Let c represent the number of cats and d represent the number of dogs. The following system of equations represents the situation: d−10=c d+c=60 How many cats and dogs are in the pet store?

Answer 1

There would be 35 dogs and 25 cats

Answer 2

Total number of dogs and cats in the pet store are 60

So this gives us our first equation:

$c+d=60$...............(1)

$c=60 -d$ .................(2)

There are 10 fewer cats than dogs.

So this gives us the second equation:

$d=c+10$.............(2)

Now let us use substitution method here.

Plugging the value of c from equation (2) in equation (3)

$d=60-d-10$

$d=50-d$

$2d=50$

this gives d=25

plugging this in equation 2 to find c

$25 = c+10$

c=15

Answer : The pet store has 15 cats and 25 dogs.