Its a story problem:

The flying W Ranch raises only cows and horses. There are total 340 animals. The owner prefers horses to cows, so he has 52 more horses than cows.
a. Write two different linear equations to model this situation.
b. Solve the system of linear equations using the substitution method
How many horse live at the ranch?

2 answers

x=cows
y=horses
x+y=340
y=x+52

Plug in x+52 for your y value on the first equation. Solve for x, and then y.
h + c = 340
h = c + 52

sub the second into the first:
h + c = 340
c+52 + c = 340
2c = 288
c = 144
then h = 144+52 = 196

So 144 cows and 196 horses