Exotic Animals Project

Name(s): Marta Dopita

Write down necessary steps and answers legibly and clearly to
earn full credit.
You may do this project individually or in a group of no more than 3 people. If you do
this project in a group, please submit one project per group.
After you finalize your answers, submit this project in pdf format by attaching to an
e-mail sending to Shane.Tang@slcc.edu. No credit or extension will be given if you
send a corrupted file. Please submit this project by February 12.
(The following question was modified from Carl Stitz and Jeff Zeagers Precalculus.)
Daniels Exotic Animal Rescue houses snakes, tarantulas and scorpions. When asked
how many animals of each kind he boards, Daniel answered: We board 114 total
animals, and I am responsible for each of their 496 legs and 75 tails. The following
steps will guide you to find out how many of each animal the Rescue board. (Recall:
tarantulas have 8 legs and no tails, scorpions have 8 legs and one tail, and snakes have
no legs and one tail.)
1. Use a variable to represent the number of each of the 3 animals. Write down what each
represents.

S=Snakes
T=Tarantula
C=Scorpions

2. Use the above 3 variable to write down the system of 3 linear equations based on the
question.

S + T + C = 114

(1st equation represents the number of animals that Daniel's Exotic Animal Rescue
houses)

0S+8T+8C=496

(2nd equation represents the number of legs)

S +0T +C = 75

(3rd equation represents the number of tails)

Intermediate Algebra

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2016 Shane Tang

3. Solve the system to find out how many of each animal does the Rescue board. Be sure
to write down your steps clearly.

1) Wrote original

2) Chose two equations

equation

0S+8T+8C=496

S + T + C = 114

(S +0T+ C=75) -8 (Multiplied both sides by -8)

0S+8T+8C=496

-8S-0T-8C= -600
= -8S+8T+0= -104

S + 0T +C =75
3) Chose two equations

4) Substitute 39 for T in -8S+0T+0= -104

S+0T=C=75

-8S+8T+0= -104

(S+T+C=114)-1(Multiplied both sides by -1)

-8S+8(39)= -104 (Solved for S)

=S=52

-S - T- C= -114
= (-T= -39) (Divide both sides by -1)
=T=39

5) Substitute 52 for S and 39 for T in

S+T+C=114
(52)+(39)+ C =114 (Solved for C)
=C=23

4. Write down in a complete sentence how many of each animal the Rescue board.

Daniel's Exotic Animal Rescue houses 52 Snakes, 39 Tarantulas and 23

Scorpions.

Intermediate Algebra

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2016 Shane Tang

Exotic Animals Project: Reflection

Name:
You must complete this reflection individually.

After you finalize your reflection, submit it in pdf format by attaching to an e-mail
sending to Shane.Tang@slcc.edu. No credit or extension will be given if you send a
corrupted file. Please submit this reflection assignment by February 12.
1. The Exotic Animals Project gives a story where people use math in a playful way. Though
we use mathematics in many aspects in real life, most people have never used a quadratic
formula directly outside academic environment. Do you consider learning technique
in Intermediate Algebra class useful or useless? Why? Write between150 and 300
words to respond to these questions.

2. Dr. Edward Frenkel in the preface of his book Love & Math wrote, Mathematics equal
rigor plus intellectual integrity times reliance on facts. We should all have access to
the mathematical knowledge and tools needed to protect us from arbitrary decision
made by the powerful few in an increasingly math-driven world. Where there is no
mathematics, there is no freedom.
Do you agree or disagree with Dr. Frenkel that Where there is no mathematics, there
is no freedom? Why? Write between150 and 300 words to respond to these questions.

Intermediate Algebra

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2016 Shane Tang