Final answer:
To determine how many roses Alex can buy, we need to subtract the cost of the vase from his minimum spending of $50. So, $50 - $5 = $45. Since each rose costs $4, we divide the total amount available for roses ($45) by the cost of each rose ($4). $45 ÷ $4 = 11.25. Since we can't buy a fraction of a rose, we round down and conclude that Alex can buy 11 roses.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how many roses Alex can buy, we need to subtract the cost of the vase from his minimum spending of $50. So, $50 - $5 = $45. This $45 can be spent on roses. Since each rose costs $4, we divide the total amount available for roses ($45) by the cost of each rose ($4). $45 ÷ $4 = 11.25. Since we can't buy a fraction of a rose, we round down and conclude that Alex can buy 11 roses.