Linear Inequality Word Problems
Linear Inequality Word Problems
Linear Inequality Word Problems
1. The following function gives the amount of money owed on a short term loan after t weeks.
A (t)=100 1.25
1
2
Which numerical expression best approximates the annual interest rate, excluding any late
fees? (1 year=52 weeks.)
26
A.
10.25
B.
0.25261
C. 260.25
D. 26 1.25
Correct answer: B Difficulty level: 2
2. The rabbit population in an isolated forest rises and falls depending on the population of
predators. Within the year 2014, the population, p, in thousands of rabbits mmm months after
January 1, 2014 is:
p=0.05(m1.5)(m8.5)+10
The population reached ten thousand some time in February. At what other time, given as
months after January 1, 2014, did the rabbit population reach ten thousand?
Correct answer: 8.5 Difficulty level: 2
3. The "hang time" of a football is the amount of time the football stays in the air after being
kicked. The height, in meters, of the football above the ground at time t can be modeled by the
quadratic function:
h ( t ) =4.9 t 2 +19.6 t
Which of the following equivalent expressions displays the hang time of the football as a
constant or coefficient?
2
A.
4.9(t2) +19.6
B.
4.9 t(t4)
C.
4.9 ( t3 )29.8 t+44.1
D.
6. A barber charges $12 for a haircut. His operating expenses are, on average, $37 per day. He
calculates his profit by subtracting his operating costs from the money he earns from the
haircuts he gives. In a given day, the barber expects to make a profit of at least $86. If the
barber gives h haircuts in a day, which inequality best models this situation?
A.
12 h37 86
B.
12(h37) 86
C.
12 h+37 86
D.
12(h+37) 86
Correct answer: A Difficulty level: 2
7. A distributor ships DVDs to several stores. The shipping boxes contain several DVDs (in their
cases) plus a layer of padding at each end of the box. The DVD cases and layers of padding
can be arranged neatly inside each box. Each DVD case is 14 mm (millimeters) thick, each
layer of padding is 10 mm thick, and the length of the interior of the box is 132 mm. If d
represents the number of DVDs that the distributor can fit into one box with two layers of
padding, which of the following inequalities best models the situation?
A.
10 d+ 14 132
B.
14 d +20 132
C.
20 d +14 132
D.
14 d +10 132
Correct answer: B Difficulty level: 2
8. To rent a car for one week, a car rental company charges a $200 base price as well as $0.45
per mile. Jennifer will rent a vehicle at this company, but she has a $275 budget. Which of the
following is a possible number of miles that Jennifer can drive without exceeding her budget?
A. 166 miles
B. 167 miles
C. 168 miles
D. 169 miles
Correct answer: A Difficulty level: 2
9. Woo-Jin would like to bring several books from his favorite series in his backpack. The
backpack can hold up to a depth of
10
1
2
notebook fill a total of 3 inches of that depth. Each book would fill 1.5 inches of the depth of
the backpack. Only one stack of books can fit the height and width of the backpack. If x
represents the number of books that Woo-Jin could carry in his backpack, which of the
following inequalities best models the situation described above?
A.
3+1.5 x<10.5
B.
3+1.5 x 10.5
C.
3 x+1.5<10.5
D.
3 x+1.5 10.5
Correct answer: B Difficulty level: 2
10. In the year 2000, the average American consumed 8.3 gallons of whole milk per year. This
amount has been decreasing by 0.3 gallons per year. Which inequality can be used to find the
number of years, t, since 2000 when whole milk consumption was greater than 6.0 gallons per
person per year?
A.
8.30.3t >6.0
B.
8.30.3(t2000)>6.0
C.
D.
8.30.3t <6.0
8.30.3(t2000)<6.0
3
16.5+ t=19
5
16.5+3(t2005)=19
3
16.5+ (t 2005)=19
5
21. For many trees, the approximate age of the tree (in years) is equal to the diameter of the tree
(in inches) times the tree's growth factor. Deniz estimates that a certain red maple tree in her
yard is about 80 years old. If red maple trees have a growth factor of 4.5, which of the
following equations could be used to find x, the diameter of the tree in feet?
A.
80=12(4.5 x)
B.
C.
D.
4.5 x
12
12 x
80=
4.5
x
80=
(12)(4.5)
80=
1
8
2
3
constitutional changes. There are 550 seats in the Parliament. Of those, 313 of the seats are
occupied by members who have pledged to support a particular constitutional change. Which
inequality represents the number of additional Parliament members, m, who would need to
support the constitutional change to achieve the required majority?
A.
m 53. 6
B.
m 158
C.
m 303
D.
m 366. 6
Correct answer: A Difficulty level: 2
31. In one state, a minimum of 246,400 valid signatures on a petition is required to get a voter
initiative added to a state-wide ballot. The signature collectors can fit 25 signatures per page.
They estimate that 61,600 of the signatures that they collect will not be valid (because of
being duplicates, incomplete, or unregistered voters). If p represents the number of pages of
signatures which the signature collectors should collect in order to get the voter initiative
added to the ballot, which of the following inequalities best models the situation described
above?
A.
25 p+ 61,600 246,400
B.
25 p+ 61,600 246,400
C.
25 p61,600 246,400
D.
25 p61,600 246,400
Correct answer: C Difficulty level: 2
32. When police analyze the broken glass at a scene, it helps them reconstruct the situation.
Headlight glass is much less dense than the window glass. The headlight glass will be 1.5
grams per milliliter or less. A police officer determines that a fragment of glass displaces
10.5mLof water. Use the formula
density=
mass
. Which inequality best shows the
volume
D.
b 33
40. Jonas is traveling by bus to visit a friend who lives 300 miles away. The friend has asked
Jonas to call at least 30 minutes before arriving, so he can pick up Jonas. Jonas's bus travels at
a constant speed of 45 miles per hour. Which inequality shows the number of travel hours, t,
before which Jonas should call his friend?
A.
B.
C.
D.
1
6
1
t6
6
2
t6
3
2
t6
3
t6
C.
D.