Question

Russel wants to buy 3 identical gift cards. He wants to make sure the total cost is no more than $2 above or below $60. Which of the following inequalities represents the situation?

Answer 1

Let the cost of each gift card be x.

Three of them will cost 3x.

We need the total cost be no more than $2 above or below $60.

This can be represented as:

• 3x ≤ 60 + 2 ⇒ 3x ≤ 62,

and

• 3x ≥ 60 - 2⇒ 3x ≥ 58,

or as combined inequality:

• 58 ≤ 3x ≤ 62