Old MacDonald has 100 chickens and goats in the barnyard. Altogether, there are 278 feet. How many chickens and how many goats are in the barnyard? There are \( \square \) chickens and \( \square \) goats in the barnyard.

Let's break down the numbers! Chickens have 2 feet each, while goats boast 4 feet. If we let \( x \) represent the number of chickens and \( y \) the number of goats, we can frame two equations based on the info we have: 1. \( x + y = 100 \) (the total number of animals) 2. \( 2x + 4y = 278 \) (the total number of feet) By solving these equations, we cleverly discover that there are 69 chickens and 31 goats. Did you know that across various cultures, both chickens and goats have been symbols of prosperity and agricultural success? In many rural communities, they represent hard work and nourishment that helps fuel the local economy! When solving these kinds of problems, it's easy to mix up the variables or forget to write down the equations. A good tip is always to define your variables clearly at the start, and double-check your math at each step. It helps avoid those pesky calculation errors!