Final answer:
13 aprons
equal or exceed his expenses
To cover his expenses, Ron needs to sell at least 13 aprons. This is found by creating an algebraic equation that represents his costs and revenues, and solving for the number of aprons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question involves the application of basic algebra to a real-world problem. Here, Ron's primary expense is the cost of the sewing machine which is a one-time expense of $85. After that, he has a per-item cost of $32 for the fabric for each apron. Ron sells each apron for $25.
The equation for his sales to equal his expenses can be defined as follows: 25n = 85 + 32n, where 'n' is the number of aprons.
We solve this equation for 'n'. First we'll subtract 32n from both sides, giving us: -7n = 85. Then, we divide by -7, and the result is: n = -85/-7 = 12.14.
Since Ron can't sell a fraction of an apron, he needs to sell at least 13 aprons for his sales to equal or exceed his expenses.
Learn more about basic algebra