Final answer:
The machine will take 2.5 minutes to clean 1 car.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the number of minutes it will take the machine to clean 1 car, we can use the concept of ratios. If the machine cleaned 20 cars in 50 minutes, we can set up a ratio:
20 cars / 50 minutes = 1 car / x minutes
Using cross-multiplication, we can solve for x:
20x = 50
x = 50 / 20 = 2.5 minutes
Therefore, it will take the machine 2.5 minutes to clean 1 car.