Final answer:
The dial setting on Sam's fertilizer spreader varies inversely with the area it will cover. If the dial is set at 6, one bag of fertilizer should cover 1000 square feet.
Step-by-step explanation:
The problem states that the dial setting on Sam's fertilizer spreader varies inversely with the area it will cover. Inverse variation means that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases, and vice versa. So, if the dial is set at 10 and covers 600 square feet, we can use the formula for inverse variation: k = p × q, where k is the constant of variation, p is the dial setting, and q is the area covered. By substituting the values, we can find the value of k: 10 × 600 = k.
Once we have the value of k, we can find the area covered when the dial is set at 6 by using the formula: q = k / p. Substituting the values, we get: q = (10 × 600) / 6 = 1000 square feet. Therefore, if the dial is set at 6, one bag of fertilizer should cover 1000 square feet.