The equation that expresses the relationship between the number of boxes, b and the number or cans, c would be c = 48b. This is because the number or cans shipped would be the dependent variable to the problem as it is dependent on the number or boxes that ship along with. So if one ships 2 boxes then the number of cans that would be shipped would need to match the final output of cans which is 96, and using the equation, c = 49b it does.
c = 48b 96 = 48(2) 96 = 96.
Technically the first option will also be correct but usually the variable in an algebraic expression comes after the coefficient.
