Final answer:
The cell's environment is hypotonic as it has a lower solute concentration and higher water concentration compared to the inside of the cell.
Step-by-step explanation:
When comparing the solute and water concentration inside a cell to the environment outside the cell, we determine if the external solution is hypotonic, hypertonic, or isotonic. In this case, the cell has a higher solute concentration (60% solute and 40% water) compared to the outside environment (10% solute and 90% water).
This indicates that water will tend to move into the cell to balance the solute concentrations, making the external environment hypotonic relative to the cell.