Determine rent based on the following information....

[Sweetdaisy186]

Hey guys!

"Together two farmers rented a pasture for $140. The first farmer placed his four oxen in the pasture, and the second farmer placed his 30 sheep in the pasture. How much should the first farmer pay if one ox eats as much as ten sheep, and the rent is based on the portion of the pature that is eaten by each farmer's animals."

I decided to make an equation and let x equal one ox and 10x equal the sheep. Then I set the equation to 140 dollars and came out with a decimal. So, I know that it can't be right. So then I thought I should put 4x for the oxen and 30x for the sheep and whatever x is, multiply it by ten. That didn't work either. A push in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Denis]

baaa...baaa... :wink:

We have 30 sheeps.
And 4 oxen; since 1 = 10 sheeps, then 4 = 40 sheeps.
So we have equivalent of 70 sheeps

70 sheeps = 140
1 sheep = 2

I'll let you finish it.

 

[Sweetdaisy186]

The first part makes sense, but where did you get that 70 sheeps from? I didn't know that we could add the two numbers together.

 

[Denis]

We don't have 70 actual sheeps, SD: we have the equivalent of 70 sheeps;
the 4 oxen eat as much as 40 sheeps; so we have the same result as if
he replaced his 4 oxen with 40 sheeps.

 

[Sweetdaisy186]

I'm sry, now I am really confused.

 

[happy]

Hello, Daisy!

Explaining where you are confused, would help.

 

[Sweetdaisy186]

sry :lol: I don't understand how to go about solving the problem. 40 ox would give me over 30 sheep that he has. How would I translate that into money? Thanks!

 

[Gene]

One farmer pays (30/70)*140 for his 30 real sheep and the other pays (40/70)*140 for his 40 hypothetical sheep which are really 4 oxen.