Question

Ashley has two buckets filled with water. The large bucket contains 36 gallons and is leaking at a rate of 0.12 gallons per hour. The small bucket contains 12 gallons and is leaking at a rate of 0.6 gallons per hour. Which inequality can be used to find the number of hours, h, at which the larger bucket will have less water than the smaller bucket?

A) 36 - 0.12h < 12 - 0.6h
B) 36 - 0.6h < 12 - 0.12h
C) 36 - 0.12h > 12 - 0.6h
D) 36 - 0.6h > 12 - 0.12h

Answer 1

The inequality that can be used to find the number of hours at which the larger bucket will have less water than the smaller bucket is 36 - 0.12h < 12 - 0.6h.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the number of hours at which the larger bucket will have less water than the smaller bucket, we need to compare the amounts of water left in each bucket. The large bucket is leaking at a rate of 0.12 gallons per hour, so after h hours, the amount of water left in the large bucket would be 36 - 0.12h gallons. Similarly, the small bucket is leaking at a rate of 0.6 gallons per hour, so after h hours, the amount of water left in the small bucket would be 12 - 0.6h gallons. Therefore, the inequality that represents the situation is 36 - 0.12h < 12 - 0.6h, which corresponds to option A.