Final answer:
The statement 'negative five times a number is at most 100' forms the inequality -5n ≤ 100, which solves to n ≥ -20. Solving inequalities often requires knowledge of rules like reversing the inequality sign when multiplying or dividing by a negative number.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question involves forming an inequality from a verbal statement. The statement 'negative five times a number is at most 100' translates to the inequality -5n ≤ 100, where 'n' represents the number in question. To solve for 'n', you would divide both sides of the inequality by -5, remembering to reverse the inequality sign because you are dividing by a negative number. This gives you n ≥ -20.
It is important to recall that when dealing with inequalities, any multiplication or division by a negative number will reverse the inequality sign. Also, to fully understand this concept, it helps to connect it to the basics of scientific notation and integer powers. For example, an understanding of negative exponents is useful when working with small numbers or when representing large or small quantities in fields such as chemistry.