Example

Example: Solving a Vacation Trip Budget Application with a Linear Inequality

To determine the amount of work required to fund a vacation trip within a budget, apply the seven-step inequality problem-solving strategy. For example, consider Malik, who plans a vacation costing $525525 for airfare, $780780 for food and sightseeing, and $9595 per night for a 66-night hotel stay. He has $840840 in savings and earns $4545 per hour tutoring.

  1. Read the problem.
  2. Identify what to find: the number of hours Malik must tutor.
  3. Name the unknown: Let hh = the number of hours.
  4. Translate into an inequality. The total expenses must be less than or equal to his available funds (savings plus tutoring income): 525+780+95(6)840+45h525 + 780 + 95(6) \leq 840 + 45h
  5. Solve the inequality by simplifying and isolating the variable: 1,875840+45h1{,}875 \leq 840 + 45h 1,03545h1{,}035 \leq 45h 23h23 \leq h Which translates to: h23h \geq 23
  6. Check: Substituting 2323 hours gives 45(23)=1,03545(23) = 1{,}035. Added to his $840840 savings, he has $1,8751{,}875. The expenses exactly equal $1,8751{,}875, so the answer makes sense.
  7. Answer: Malik must tutor at least 2323 hours to have enough money to pay for the trip.

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Updated 2026-04-22

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