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If -5/4 < -3n + 2 < 5/2, what is the greatest possible integer value of the expression 6n - 4?

A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 8

1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

The greatest possible integer value for the expression 6n - 4, based on the inequality -5/4 < -3n + 2 < 5/2, is 2, which is not listed in the provided choices. Hence, the correct answer is (d) None of the above.

Step-by-step explanation:

To solve the inequality -5/4 < -3n + 2 < 5/2, we first isolate the variable n. We subtract 2 from all parts of the inequality:

-5/4 - 2 < -3n < 5/2 - 2

Converting 2 to an improper fraction with a denominator of 4 to subtract from -5/4:

-5/4 - 8/4 < -3n < 10/4 - 8/4

Now, simplify the inequality:

-13/4 < -3n < 2/4 or -13/4 < -3n < 1/2

To isolate n, we divide all parts by -3, remembering that dividing by a negative number reverses the inequality signs:

13/12 > n > -1/6

We now want to find the greatest possible integer value for the expression 6n - 4. We take the largest n, which is a bit less than 13/12, because n must be less than this value to satisfy the original inequality. Thus, the greatest integer n can be is 1:

6(1) - 4 = 6 - 4 = 2

Therefore, the greatest possible integer value for the expression 6n - 4 is 2, which is not one of the provided options. The answer is (d) None of the above.

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