Question

the scientific name for the little bumps on your tongue is fungiform papillae. each bump can contain many taste buds. the number of taste buds a person has varies. there are three general classifications of tasters: supertaster, medium taster, and nontaster. suppose a supertaster has 8,640 taste buds. solve the equation $4.5n = 8,640$ to find the number of taste buds, $n$, a nontaster may have.

Explanation:

Step1: Isolate the variable \( n \)

To solve for \( n \) in the equation \( 4.5n = 8640 \), we divide both sides of the equation by \( 4.5 \).
\[
n=\frac{8640}{4.5}
\]

Step2: Perform the division

Calculate the value of \( \frac{8640}{4.5} \). We can multiply both the numerator and the denominator by \( 10 \) to eliminate the decimal in the denominator, getting \( \frac{86400}{45} \). Then divide \( 86400 \) by \( 45 \).
\[
n = 1920
\]

Answer:

The number of taste buds a nontaster may have is \( 1920 \).