Final answer:
The correct equation representing two partners' investments where one invests 1.5 times as much as the other with a total of $850 is B) x + 1.5y = 850, although it is more accurate to express it as 2.5x = 850 for calculation purposes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct equation to represent two partners investing in a business where one partner invests 1.5 times the amount the other partner invests is: 1.5x + x = 850.
To find the applicable equation, we need to denote one partner's investment as x, and since the other partner is investing 1.5 times that amount, their investment would be 1.5x. The total investment is $850, so we add both investments to set up the equation: x + 1.5x = 850. Simplifying the left side gives us 2.5x = 850, and solving for x will yield the individual investments.
Therefore, the correct option that matches our equation is option B) x + 1.5y = 850. We just need to note that in our final equation, y is not used; instead, it's 1.5x where x is the amount the first partner invests.