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Question

A storage shelf can hold no more than 250 pounds. Carlos wants to stack boxes of paper that weigh 20 pounds each and computer monitors that weigh 15 pounds each on the shelf.
a. Write an inequality that shows how many boxes of paper, x, and monitors y, Carlos can stack on the shelf.
b. Give 3 examples of paper and monitor combinations that Carlos can stack on the shelf

Answer 1

Let x = {number of boxes of paper} and y = {number of computer monitors}

Since the shelf can only hold 250 pounds then our inequality should define something less than 250

We want to find a combination of x and y such that

 

20x + 15y ≤ 250

4x + 3y ≤ 50

 

We now want to know what the maximum amount of x I can have without y. We do this because we want to know the limit of boxes I can place on the shelf to determine a limit on y.

4x ≤ 50

x ≤ 12.5

 

We now know the maximum amount of boxes is 12 because we can't have half of a box.

You can now determine a combination of x and y. For example, let's choose x = 5

 

4(5) + 15y ≤ 50

20 + 15y ≤ 50

15y ≤ 30

y ≤ 2

 

This means we can have 2, 1, or no monitors on the shelf along with 5 boxes of paper.