Let x represent the minimum number of cars Carole must wash to be able to buy the ticket to the musical.
Carole has $53.95 and washes cars for $8 each. This means that the total amount that she would earn after washing x cars is
8x + 53.95
Carole wants to attend a musical that costs $145.75. Therefore, the inequality to determine the minimum number of cars that Carole must wash to be able to buy the ticket to the musical is
8x + 53.95 ≥ 145.75
8x ≥ 145.75 - 53.95
8x ≥ 91.8
x ≥ 91.8/8
x ≥ 11.475
b) it is not the same. The minimum number of cars that Carole must wash is 12 because the number of cars cannot be a fraction and if she washes 11 cars, she cannot raise the needed amount.
