The maximum weight allowed on an elevator is 950 pounds. The five people already on the
elevator weight 780 pounds. To be able to ride the elevator safety, what is the maximum weight
the sixth person can weigh?
Step 1: Define the Variable
Step 2: Write the Inequality
Step 3: Solve (using Inverse Operations)
Step 4: Check
Step 5: Answer in a Sentence
Step 1: Define the Variable
Let x be the weight of the sixth person.
Step 2: Write the Inequality
The inequality is 780 + x ≤ 950.
Step 3: Solve (using Inverse Operations)
Subtract 780 from both sides of the inequality:
780 + x - 780 ≤ 950 - 780
x ≤ 170
Step 4: Check
The maximum weight the sixth person can weigh is 170 pounds.
Step 5: Answer in a Sentence
To ride the elevator safely, the maximum weight the sixth person can weigh is 170 pounds.
Step 1: Define the Variable
Let's define the variable as "x" and represent it as the weight of the sixth person.
Step 2: Write the Inequality
We are given that the maximum weight allowed on the elevator is 950 pounds, and the weight of the five people already on the elevator is 780 pounds. To ensure safety, the total weight with the sixth person must not exceed the maximum weight allowed. Therefore, the inequality is:
780 + x ≤ 950
Step 3: Solve (using Inverse Operations)
To solve the inequality, we need to isolate the variable "x" by performing inverse operations.
Subtracting 780 from both sides of the inequality gives:
x ≤ 950 - 780
x ≤ 170
Step 4: Check
To check our answer, we substitute x with 170 in the original inequality:
780 + 170 ≤ 950
950 ≤ 950
Since the inequality holds true with the value of 170, our solution is correct.
Step 5: Answer in a Sentence
The maximum weight the sixth person can weigh to ride the elevator safely is 170 pounds.