Question

A candle is 4 inches tall and burns at the rate of 0.6 inches per hour. If the height of the candle after x hours is 1.5 inches, write an equation to represnt the situation. Then use this equation to find the expected number of hours in which the candle melted to 1.5 inches. Show work.​

Answer 1

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Answer 2

`4-0.6x=1.5`

4.2 hours.

Explanation:

Let x represent number of hours.

We have been given that a candle burns at the rate of 0.6 inches per hour. So amount of candle burned in x hours would be
`0.6x`.

We have been given that the candle was 4 inches tall, so height of candle left after x hours would be
`4-0.6x`.

The height of the candle after x hours is 1.5 inches. We can represent this information in an equation as:

`4-0.6x=1.5`

`4-4-0.6x=1.5-4`

`-0.6x=-2.5`

`(-0.6x)/(-0.6)=(-2.5)/(-0.6)`

`x=4.166`

Therefore, the candle will be melted to 1.5 inches in approximately 4.2 hours.