At the zoo, three adult lions together eat 250 pounds of food a day. if two more adult lions joined the group and ate food at the same rate as the original three, how much food would the zoo need to provide all five lions each day?

416.67 pounds of food should be given all five lions each day

Solution:

Given that, three adult lions together eat 250 pounds of food a day

Thus, 3 adult lions = 250 pounds of food per day

Two more adult lions joined the group and ate food at the same rate as the original three

Now number of adult lions = 3 adult lions + 2 adult lions = 5 adult lions

Let "x" be the food ate by 5 adult lions

Thus we can say,

3 adult lions = 250 pounds of food per day

5 adult lions = "x" pounds of food per day

This forms a proportion and we can solve the sum by cross multiplying

Thus 416.67 pounds of food should be given all five lions each day

hello from mrbilldoesmath!

answer:

a(n) - a(n-1) -3

discussion:

this ones a bit interesting. given a(n) = 5 - 3n consider this:

a(n-1) = 5 - 3(n-1)

          = (5 - 3n) + 3             => but a(n) = 5 - 3n, the first term

          = a(n)   + 3                 => subtract 3 from both sides

a(n-1) -3 = a(n)  

or

a(n) - a(n-1) -3

you,

mrb

probably .5

i can on others if necessary.