1

x Snakes
y Frogs
z Scorpians
t Tails
l Legs

2
Animals x + y + z = 72
Tails 1x + 0y + 1z = 50
Legs 0x + 4y + 8z = 280

3
1 1 1 72
> 1 0 1 50
0 4 8 280

4
r1*-1 1 1 1 72
> 1 0 1 50
0 4 8 280

r1+r2 -1 -1 -1 -72
> 1 0 1 50
0 4 8 280

0 -1 0 -22
> 1 0 1 50
r3/4 0 4 8 280

0 -1 0 -22
> 1 0 1 50
r3+r1 0 1 2 70

0 -1 0 -22
> 1 0 1 50
r3/2 0 0 2 48

0 -1 0 -22
> 1 0 1 50
r3*-1 0 0 1 24

0 -1 0 -22
 > r2+r3 1 0 1 50
0 0 -1 -24

r1/-1 0 -1 0 -22
> 1 0 0 26
r3/-1 0 0 -1 -24

r2 0 1 0 22
> r1 1 0 0 26
r3 0 0 1 24

x 1 0 0 26
> y 0 1 0 22
z 0 0 1 24

Check Work
x + y + z = 72
26 + 22 + 24 = 72
1x + 0y + 1z = 50
1(26) + 0y + 1(24) = 50
0x + 4y + 8z = 280
0x + 4(22) + 8(24) = 280

5
There are 26 Snakes
There are 22 Frogs
There are 24 Scorpians

The 26 Snakes and 24 Scorpians together have 50 Tails

The 22 Frogs have 88 legs and the 26 Scorpians have 192 legs together they have 280 legs.