Question

a bookstore has copies of a book in both hardcover and paperback editions. the hardcover books weigh 1.2 pounds each, and the paperback books weigh 0.7 pound each. an employee stacks some copies on a shelf. if x is the number of hardcover books and y is the number of paperback books, write an inequality to show that the total weight of the books on the shelf is not more than 20 pounds. enter your answer in the box.

Explanation:

Step1: Calculate weight of hardcover books

The weight of each hardcover book is 1.2 pounds, and there are \( x \) hardcover books. So the total weight of hardcover books is \( 1.2x \) pounds.

Step2: Calculate weight of paperback books

The weight of each paperback book is 0.7 pounds, and there are \( y \) paperback books. So the total weight of paperback books is \( 0.7y \) pounds.

Step3: Find total weight and set up inequality

The total weight of all books is the sum of the weight of hardcover and paperback books, which is \( 1.2x + 0.7y \) pounds. The total weight should not be more than 20 pounds, so the inequality is \( 1.2x + 0.7y \leq 20 \).

Answer:

\( 1.2x + 0.7y \leq 20 \)