Mason is purchasing wooden blocks to build a birdhouse. Each block costs $1.80, and Mason wants to spend less than $36. Which inequality represents all the possible number of blocks, n, that Mason can buy to stay within his budget?
Responses
A n > 20n > 20
B n < 20n < 20
C n ≥ 20n ≥ 20
D n ≤ 20
The cost of each block is $1.80. In order for Mason to spend less than $36, he can buy a maximum of $36 / $1.80 = 20 blocks. Therefore, the correct inequality is D: n ≤ 20.
To represent the possible number of blocks, n, that Mason can buy to stay within his budget, we need to use an inequality that reflects him spending less than $36.
Since each block costs $1.80, we can represent the total cost of the blocks as 1.8n. To stay within his budget of less than $36, we can set up the inequality:
1.8n < 36
Simplifying the inequality, we get:
n < 36 / 1.8
n < 20
So, Mason can buy less than 20 blocks to stay within his budget.
Therefore, the correct answer is B: n < 20.
To find the inequality that represents all the possible number of blocks Mason can buy to stay within his budget, we need to consider the cost of each block and the maximum amount he can spend.
Mason wants to spend less than $36, and each block costs $1.80. We can divide the maximum amount he can spend by the cost of each block to determine the maximum number of blocks he can buy.
Maximum number of blocks = Maximum amount he can spend / Cost per block
Maximum number of blocks = $36 / $1.80 = 20
So, the maximum number of blocks Mason can buy is 20.
However, since the question asks for an inequality representing all possible numbers of blocks Mason can buy within his budget, we need to consider both less than and equal to.
Therefore, the correct inequality is:
D. n ≤ 20
This inequality includes all the possible numbers of blocks Mason can buy to stay within his budget, including purchasing 20 blocks or fewer.