Final answer:
Mariel will need between 6 to 500 days to type a 2,500-word essay, with the exact number of days depending on whether she types at her fastest rate of 475 words per day or her slowest rate of 5 words per day.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question involves calculating the number of days Mariel will need to type a 2,500-word essay based on her plan to type between 5 and 475 words per day. To determine the range of possible days it could take, we'll perform calculations using both extremes of her daily word output.
Minimum Days Needed
If Mariel types at her maximum rate of 475 words per day, we divide the total word count by this rate:
2,500 words ÷ 475 words/day = approximately 5.26 days
Since Mariel cannot type a fraction of a day, we'll round up to the nearest whole number, which is 6 days.
Maximum Days Needed
If Mariel types at her minimum rate of 5 words per day, we divide the total word count by this rate:
2,500 words ÷ 5 words/day = 500 days
Thus, Mariel will need between 6 to 500 days to complete her essay, depending on her daily typing speed.