Question

a local ice cream shop has a parking lot with enough space for 18 cars. there are 7 cars in the parking lot right now. let x represent how many more cars can park in the lot. which inequality describes the problem? x + 7 ≤ 18 x + 7 ≥ 18 solve the inequality. then, complete the sentence to describe the solution. up to more cars can park in the lot.

Explanation:

Part 1: Choosing the correct inequality

The total number of cars in the lot after adding \( x \) more cars is \( x + 7 \). The parking lot can hold at most 18 cars, so the total number of cars (current + additional) must be less than or equal to 18. Thus, the inequality is \( x + 7 \leq 18 \).

Step1: Subtract 7 from both sides

To solve \( x + 7 \leq 18 \), we subtract 7 from both sides. The inequality becomes \( x + 7 - 7 \leq 18 - 7 \).

Step2: Simplify both sides

Simplifying, we get \( x \leq 11 \). This means up to 11 more cars can park in the lot.

Answer:

\( x + 7 \leq 18 \)

Part 2: Solving the inequality