Question

I own a large truck, and my neighbor owns four small trucks that are all identical. My truck can carry a load of at least 600 pounds more than each of her trucks, but no more than 1/3 of the total load her four trucks combined can carry. Based on these facts, what is the greatest load I can be sure that my large truck can carry, in pounds?

Answer 1

The load the large truck can carry is 2400 pounds

Explanation:

Let the load the large truck can carry = X

Let the load each of the four trucks owned by the neighbor can carry = Y

The given parameters are;

The load the large truck can carry X = 600 + Y......(1)

The number trucks owned by the neighbor = 4

The load the large truck can carry X ≤ 1/3 × 4 × Y

Therefore, X ≤ 4/3 × Y

At maximum capacity, we have;

X = 4/3 × Y

Substituting the value of X into equation (1), we have;

4/3 × Y = 600 + Y

600 = 4/3 × Y - Y = 1/3·Y

Y = 3 × 300 = 1800 pounds

Y = = 1800 pounds

Therefore, the load the neighbors truck can carry = 1800 pounds

X = 600 + Y gives;

X = 600 + 1800 = 2400 pounds

∴ The load the large truck can carry = 2400 pounds