Final answer:
To determine if Alex is meeting the recommendations for goldfish care, we need to calculate the maximum number of goldfish that should be in the tank and compare it to the actual number of goldfish in the tank.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine if Alex is meeting the recommendations for goldfish care, we need to calculate the maximum number of goldfish that should be in the tank based on the recommended population density. The recommendation is to have 12 goldfish per 10 gallons of water. So, in a 40-gallon tank, the maximum number of goldfish recommended would be:
Maximum Number of Goldfish = (40 gallons / 10 gallons) * 12 goldfish/gallon = 48 goldfish
Since Alex's tank has a population density of 1.75 goldfish/gallon, we can calculate the actual number of goldfish in the tank:
Actual Number of Goldfish = 40 gallons * 1.75 goldfish/gallon = 70 goldfish
Since the actual number of goldfish (70) is greater than the maximum recommended number of goldfish (48), Alex is not meeting the recommendations.