Question

Sandra has $75 to spend on a new outfit. She finds a

sweater that costs twice as much the skirt. What is the most
the skirt can cost?
Let s represent the cost of the skirt.
Inequality: _____________________
The most the skirt can cost is _____________________.

Answer 1

Inequality: s ≤ 25

Max skirt cost: $25

Explanation:

s = skirt cost

x = sweater cost

Since the sweater costs twice as much as the skirt, an equation will look like this:

x = 2s

Since her budget is $75, that means she can spend $75 or less but not more, so another equation will look like this:

x + s ≤ 75

Plug 2s into the bottom equation

2s + s ≤ 75

Add up the terms

3s ≤ 75

Divide both sides by 3, the coefficient, to isolate s, the variable.

3s/3 ≤ 75/3

s ≤ 25

That means she can spend $25 or less on a skirt.

Answer 2

The skirt = s

The sweater is twice as much so 2s

The total sum has to equal or be less than $75

Inequality = s + 2s <=75

Simplify to 3s <= 75

Most the skirt can cost: solve for s:

3s <= 75

Divide both sides by 3

S <= 25

The most the skirt can cost is $25