An animal shelter spends $1.50 per day to care for each cat and $8.50 per day to care for each dog. levi noticed that the shelter spent $119.50 caring for cats and dogs on tuesday. levi found a record showing that there were a total of 33 cats and dogs on tuesday. how many cats were at the shelter on tuesday?

The number of cats are 23 and the number of dogs are 10 at the shelter on tuesday .

Step-by-step explanation:

Let us assume that the number of cats be x .

Let us assume that the number of dogs be y .

As given

An animal shelter spends $1.50 per day to care for each cat and $8.50 per day to care for each dog.

Levi noticed that the shelter spent $119.50 caring for cats and dogs on Tuesday.

Equation becomes

1.50x + 8.50y = 119.50

Simplify the above

150x + 850y = 11950

Levi found a record showing that there were a total of 33 cats and dogs on Tuesday.

Equation becomes

x + y = 33

Two equations are

150x + 850y = 11950

x + y = 33

Multiply  x + y = 33 by 150 and subtracted from 150x + 850y = 11950 .

150x - 150x + 850y - 150y = 11950 - 4950

700y = 7000

y = 10

Putting value of y in the equation x + y = 33 .

x + 10 = 33

x = 33 - 10

x = 23

Therefore the number of cats are 23 and the number of dogs are 10 at the shelter on tuesday .