Final answer:
Upon solving the algebraic equation, the result for the number of seats in the smaller van is 13, making the larger van have 18 seats. However, this does not match any of the provided options, suggesting a possible error in the question.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves solving an algebraic problem concerning a company that uses two vans with different seating capacities to transport workers.
Let the smaller van have x seats. This means the larger van has x + 5 seats. Since Wes Moore lives in one van and makes two trips every morning with a maximum capacity of 65 people, we can set up an equation to represent this situation:
2(x + x + 5) = 65
2(2x + 5) = 65
4x + 10 = 65
4x = 55
x = 13.75
Since we can't have a fraction of a seat, we will take the closest whole number without exceeding the capacity, which is 13. But 13 seats for the smaller van doesn't align with the options provided. The options are fixed integer values for the larger van, indicating the number of seats in the larger van must be a whole number. Given this, we must have made an error in our calculation.
Upon closer inspection, the correct calculation should be:
4x + 10 = 65
4x = 55
x = 13.75, which is incorrect because x must be an integer. We should instead calculate:
4x + 10 = 65
4x = 65 - 10
4x = 55
x = 55 / 4
x = 13.75, but since x must be an integer, the correct value for x is 13 (the number of seats in the smaller van).
Therefore, the larger van has x + 5 = 13 + 5 = 18 seats, which is not listed among the options. As such, it appears there may be a confusion with the question as the answer does not correspond to any of the options provided (A, B, C, and D). The most appropriate course of action would be to reexamine the question for any possible errors or clarifications.