5. Ella builds a chicken coop. The area of the chicken coop is 40 square feet. Each chicken needs at least 3 square feet of space. How many chickens can the coop hold? Show your work.

To find out how many chickens Ella can keep in her chicken coop, we need to divide the total area of the coop by the space required for each chicken. The chicken coop has an area of 40 square feet, and each chicken needs at least 3 square feet. So we calculate: 40 square feet ÷ 3 square feet per chicken = 13.33 Since we can't have a fraction of a chicken, we round down to the nearest whole number. Thus, the coop can comfortably hold 13 chickens. In a world where chickens run free, a spacious coop not only keeps them happy but helps prevent squabbles among the flock! A well-planned coop could also mean healthier chickens and more eggs, a win-win for Ella and her clucking companions! The importance of space for chickens goes beyond just comfort; it affects their health and productivity! Chickens that are overcrowded can become stressed, which not only leads to aggressive behavior but might also reduce egg production. So, when building a coop, always consider extra space for future feathered friends!