Final answer:
To find the number of picnic baskets Jill must sell to make a profit, set up and solve an inequality: 12x > 20 + 8.50x. Jill must sell at least 6 picnic baskets to make a profit.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the number of picnic baskets Jill must sell to make a profit, we need to set up an inequality. Let x represent the number of picnic baskets sold.
The total cost of making the picnic baskets is $20 for supplies plus $8.50 per basket, so the total cost is 20 + 8.50x.
The revenue from selling x picnic baskets is $12 per basket, so the total revenue is 12x.
To make a profit, the total revenue must be greater than the total cost. Therefore, we can write the inequality as:
12x > 20 + 8.50x
Now, we can solve for x:
12x - 8.50x > 20
3.50x > 20
x > 20/3.50
x > 5.71
Jill must sell more than 5.71 picnic baskets to make a profit. Since we can't sell a fraction of a basket, Jill would need to sell at least 6 picnic baskets to make a profit.