Final answer:
The correct inequality is '8 + n ≥ 9', which simplifies to 'n ≥ 1'. This represents that the sum of 8 and a number must be greater than or equal to 9.
Step-by-step explanation:
The inequality that represents the statement "The sum of 8 and a number is at least 9" can be translated to a mathematical expression where 'a number' is represented as 'n'. Therefore, the appropriate inequality is '8 + n ≥ 9'. Now, to solve for 'n', you would subtract 8 from both sides of the inequality to isolate 'n'. This gives us 'n ≥ 1'.
To verify our solution, we can consider the properties of adding numbers. When two positive numbers add together, their sum is always greater than either of the individual numbers. Additionally, when you have a number that is required to be at least a certain value, 'at least' implies that number can be greater than or equal to the reference value, which in this case is 9.