Question

translate the verbal phrase and interpret, letting n represent the value(s).
fewer than five dogs

translate the verbal phrase. choose the correct answer below.
a. n = 5,6,7,8...
b. n = -4, -3, -2, -1,0
c. n = 0,1,2,3,4
d. n = 1,2,3,4

interpret the phrase. choose the correct answer below.
a. there cannot be a negative number of dogs. there could be a minimum of five dogs, and there is no limit on the maximum number of dogs. there must be a whole number of dogs.
b. there cannot be a negative number of dogs. there could be one, two, three, or four dogs. there must be a whole number of dogs.
c. there cannot be a negative number of dogs. there could be zero, one, two, three, or four dogs. there must be a whole number of dogs.
d. there can be a negative number of dogs. there could be negative four, negative three, negative two, negative one, or zero dogs.

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze "Fewer than five dogs"

"Fewer than five" means \( n < 5 \). Since the number of dogs \( n \) must be a non - negative whole number (you can't have a negative number of dogs, and the number of dogs is a whole number like 0, 1, 2, etc.), the possible values of \( n \) are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. So for the first part (translating the verbal phrase), option C (\( n = 0,1,2,3,4 \)) is correct.

Step2: Analyze the interpretation

• Option A says there could be a minimum of five dogs, which is wrong because "fewer than five" means less than five, not at least five.
• Option B says there could be one, two, three, or four dogs, but it misses the case of zero dogs. Since you can have zero dogs (no dogs at all), this is incorrect.
• Option C: It correctly states that there can't be a negative number of dogs, the possible number of dogs is zero, one, two, three, or four (which are all less than five), and the number of dogs must be a whole number.
• Option D is wrong because you can't have a negative number of dogs.

Answer:

For the translation part: C. \( n = 0,1,2,3,4 \)
For the interpretation part: C. There cannot be a negative number of dogs. There could be zero, one, two, three, or four dogs. There must be a whole number of dogs.