Final answer:
The resulting inequality is weight of passengers ≤ weight - lift, which gives the weight of the passengers as less than or equal to -260 pounds. To determine the weight of the passengers in a hot air balloon with a lift of 400 pounds and a weight of 140 pounds, we can use the equation apparent weight = weight - lift.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how heavy the passengers of the balloon can be, we can use the equation that relates the apparent weight, weight, and lift of the balloon. The equation is given as: apparent weight = weight - lift. If the apparent weight is 0 or less, the balloon will float. Since the weight of the balloon and the basket is given as 140 pounds and the lift is 400 pounds, we can substitute these values into the equation and solve for the weight of the passengers. The inequality that represents the weight of the passengers is: weight of passengers ≤ weight - lift. Therefore, the weight of the passengers should be less than or equal to 140 pounds - 400 pounds, which is -260 pounds.