Algebra Question: Chickens and Eggs?

Question

If a chicken and a half lays an egg and a half in a day and a half, how many eggs will six chickens lay in 12 days?

any help is so appreciated!! Thanks!

I just want to say to everyone who answered, thank you for your help! It helped me understand this problem a lot better. We are having a test on Friday, and I need to know how to do this. Thank you, everyone!

Answer 1

The rate at which chickens lay is

r = 1.5eggs/(1.5chickens*1.5days)
r = eggs/(1.5chickens*days)
r = eggs/((3/2)chickens*days)
r = 2eggs/(3chickens*days)

You want the number of eggs as

e = 6chickens*12days*r
e = 6chickens*12days*2eggs/(3chickens*days)
e = 6*12*2eggs/3 (units of chickens and days cancel)
e = 2*12*2eggs
e = 48eggs

Answer 2

Well, use the units as you guide. You want to know how many eggs will six chickens lay in days. So you first need to find out how many eggs a chicken will lay in one day. The units you are looking for is egg/chicken/day. This leads to:

1.5 eggs / 1.5 chicken / 1.5 day = 1 egg/ chicken/day

For six chickens and 12 days:

1 egg/chicken/day * 6 chicken = 6 eggs/day
6 eggs/day * 12 days = 72 eggs

Answer 3

chickens / days / eggs
1.5 ...........1.5 .......1.5
3.0 ...........1.5 ....... 3.0
6.0 .......... 1.5 ....... 6.0
6.0 .......... 3.0 ...... 12.0
6.0 ......... 12.0 ..... 48.0

looked at another way, 1.5 eggs in (1.5 x 1.5) = 2.25 chicken-days is 1.5/2.25 = 1/1.5 = 2/3 eggs per chicken-day. (like manhours as a measure of work). so in 6 x 12 = 72 chicken-days we get (2/3)(72) = 48 eggs.

Answer 4

this is a crazy question but i say 72