There is a field of grass which has a constant rate of growth.
It takes 6 cows 3 days to eat the entire field of grass.
It takes 3 cows 7 days to eat the entire field of grass.
How many days would it take 1 cow to eat the entire field of grass?
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Suppose that the field originally has G units of grass on it, and that the growth rate of the grass is g units per day. In addition, let each cow eat c units of grass per day.
Now, if 6 cows are at the field for 3 days, then, G + 3 g − 1 8 c = 0 Similarly, if 3 cows are at the field for 7 days, then G + 7 g − 2 1 c = 0 .
Solving the values of g and c in terms of G gives 2 1 G and 6 3 4 G , respectively.
Hence, if one cow takes x days, then G + x g − x c = 0
G = x ( c − g )
x = c − g G
i.e., x = 6 3 d a y s