1. Ricky is $250 in debt.

Question

1. Ricky is $250 in debt. He needs to get the debt down to no more than $100 within the next 8 months. If he pays the same amount each month, write and solve an inequality to determine how much money he must pay off each month to manage this.

Answer 1

Let x = monthly payment

 

250 - 8x ≤ 100

-8x ≤ -150

Divide both sides by -8.

Don't forget that multiplying or dividing by a

negative will reverse the inequality.

x ≥ -150/(-8)

x ≥ $18.75

 

If he pays $18.75 per month he will be at $100 owed

in 8 months.  Paying more than $18.75 will make

the total owed less than $100 in 8 months.