Question

Which inequality represents this sentence? A number is no less than 48.

1. n ≤ 48
2. n ≥ 48
3. n > 48
4. n < 48

Answer 1

The correct representation of the sentence 'A number is no less than 48' in inequality form is n ≥ 48, which means the number can be 48 or any number greater than 48.

Step-by-step explanation:

The inequality that represents the sentence "A number is no less than 48" is expressed as n ≥ 48.

The phrase 'no less than' means the number could be equal to 48 or any number greater than 48. Therefore, the correct mathematical symbol to use is the 'greater than or equal to' symbol ( ≥ ). This excludes any number that is less than 48, which eliminates the possibilities of inequalities such as n < 48 or n < 48.

Solutions like n > 48 would imply that the number must be strictly greater than 48 and not include 48 itself, which does not align with the given sentence. Therefore, the second option, n ≥ 48, is the only correct choice among the given inequalities.