Final answer:
The inequality to determine the number of gigabytes Mei Mei can use is 46 + 5g ≤ 70. Solving this gives g ≤ 4.8, meaning Mei Mei can use up to 4 gigabytes to stay within her budget.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student asked how to write and solve an inequality to determine the number of gigabytes, g, Mei Mei can use while staying within her $70 monthly budget for her cell phone plan, which includes a flat cost of $46 per month and $5 per gigabyte. To construct the inequality, we start off by recognizing the flat cost Mei Mei pays every month is $46. The cost for g gigabytes is $5 times g, or $5g. Because Mei Mei wants her total monthly bill to be less than or equal to $70, we combine the flat cost and the cost per gigabyte to create the inequality:
46 + 5g ≤ 70
Subtracting 46 from both sides of the inequality to solve for g gives us:
5g ≤ 24
Dividing both sides by 5 to isolate g:
g ≤ 4.8
Since Mei Mei can't use a fraction of a gigabyte, she can use up to 4 whole gigabytes to keep her bill at or below $70.