Question

A librarian wants to spend no more than $800 on some new desks and chairs for the library. The librarian decides to spend $320 on desks. If each chair costs $24, what is the maximum number of chairs the librarian can buy for the library and stay within the budget?

Answer 1

20 chairs

Explanation:

Since we are given the amount total budget and the total amount for the desks then the only variable missing is the maximum amount of chairs. This can be solved with the following equation in which s represents the number of chairs, and we simply solve for s.

800 = 320 + 24s ... subtract both sides by 300

500 = 24s ... divide both sides by 24

20.83 = s

Now we see that the maximum number of chairs that the librarian can buy is 20 because 21 would make her go over the budget and you cannot have 0.83 of a chair.

Answer 2

The librarian can buy a maximum of 20 chairs to stay within the budget.

Explanation:

The total budget is:

T = 800

From that budget, he spends 320 on desks (D), so he has the remaining amount to buy chairs (C):

`C = 800 - 320 = 480`

Since each chair costs 24, and he has 480 he can buy the following number of chairs:

`n = (C)/(24) = (480)/(24) = 20`

Therefore, the librarian can buy a maximum of 20 chairs to stay within the budget.

I hope it helps you!