Final Answer:
It will take 6 5-gallon jugs for Best Water to be less than Acme H₂O.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the number of 5-gallon jugs it will take for Best Water to be less than Acme H₂O, we can set up an equation to compare the total cost of each service.
Let x represent the number of 5-gallon jugs.
Acme H₂O's total cost: 15 + 7.5x
Best Water's total cost: 24 + 6x
We want to find the value of x when Best Water's total cost is less than Acme H₂O's total cost.
24 + 6x < 15 + 7.5x
Combining like terms:
-1.5x < -9
Dividing both sides by -1.5, flipping the inequality sign since we're dividing by a negative number:
x > 6
Therefore, it will take 6 5-gallon jugs for Best Water to be less than Acme H₂O.