Final answer:
Eric will need 2.5 minutes to fill the pool to at least 27 gallons of water, based on the flow rate of 6 gallons per minute and the pool already containing 12 gallons.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the time, x, that Eric needs to fill the pool to at least 27 gallons from its current state with 12 gallons, we need to determine how many gallons of water are needed to reach this level. First, we subtract the existing volume of water (12 gallons) from the desired minimum volume (27 gallons) to find out the needed additional volume: 27 - 12 = 15 gallons. Next, since the water flows into the pool at a rate of 6 gallons per minute, we divide the additional volume needed by this rate to determine the time in minutes:
x = Total additional gallons needed / Flow rate
x = 15 gallons / 6 gallons per minute
x = 2.5 minutes
Therefore, Eric will take 2.5 minutes to fill the pool with at least 27 gallons of water.