Final answer:
The true statement is that the total cost for 32 students to ride the bus at $1.20 each is $38.40.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve this problem, you need to determine the total cost for s students to ride the bus and then see which statement would be true based on that information. Start by calculating the total cost of the bus ride using the given cost per student, which is $1.20. Then, you'll compare it with the amount the teacher had ($40.00) and the change received ($1.60).
Let's denote the number of students as 's'. Since each student's bus fare is $1.20, the total cost for 's' students would be $1.20 × s. The teacher had $40.00 originally and received $1.60 back in change. The equation to represent this situation is:
Initial Money - Change Received = Total Cost for Students
So we get:
$40.00 - $1.60 = $1.20 × s
Now, solving this equation:
$38.40 = $1.20 × s
s = $38.40 / $1.20
s = 32
Therefore, 32 students rode the bus. The true statement is that the cost for 32 students to ride the bus at $1.20 each totals $38.40, which, when subtracted from the $40.00 the teacher had, leaves a change of $1.60.