Question

5 barrels catch rainwater in the schoolyard. Four barrels are the same size, and the fifth barrel holds 10 liters of water. Combined, the 5 barrels can hold at least 200 liters of water. Write an inequality whose solution is the possible size of each of the 4 barrels.

How are these two problems similar? How are they different?

Answer 1

The volume each of the four barrels of the same size will be at least 47.5 liters.

Explanation:

Let the volume of each of the four barrels is v liters.

Now, the amount of water that can be held in the fifth barrel is 10 liters. The total capacity of holding water for the 5 barrels combines is at least 200 liters.

So, from the above-given information, we can write the inequality to determine the volume of each of the four barrels will be

10 + 4v ≥ 200

Solving this we get,

4v ≥ 190

⇒ v ≥ 47.5

Therefore, the volume each of the four barrels of the same size will be at least 47.5 liters. (Answer)