Final answer:
To find the maximum number of adults that can ride an elevator without exceeding the weight capacity of 2,500 lb, divide this capacity by the weight of an average adult (150 lb), which yields 16.666... adults. Since we can't have a fraction of a person, round down to obtain the answer: 16 adults.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to determining how many average-sized adults can safely ride an elevator simultaneously without exceeding its maximum load capacity. With an elevator capacity of 2,500 lb, and the average adult weight being 150 lb, we can divide the total capacity by the weight of one adult to find the number of adults that can ride the elevator at the same time.
By dividing 2,500 lb by 150 lb, we get:
2500 lb / 150 lb/adult = 16.666...
Since we cannot have a fraction of a person, we need to round down to the nearest whole number. Therefore, the maximum number of average-sized adults that can safely ride the elevator at the same time is 16 adults.