Learning to Solve a Maths problem using a table to help me

my reflection
   I was learning to solve a maths problem about working out the number of animals (pigs and chickens)
I used a table to help me find out the exact number of legs to work out how many of each animal. I used a trial and error approach and I thought that I should start in the 40s.  It took me one session to find the find the exact number of animals for the 266 legs.  I would like to do some more like this.