College

Steven has 55 baseball cards. Steven and Lucas have more than 71 baseball cards together. Which of the following inequalities represents the number of baseball cards the two boys have?

A. [tex]55 - b \ \textgreater \ 71[/tex]
B. [tex]55 + b \ \textgreater \ 71[/tex]
C. [tex]b \ \textgreater \ 55 + 71[/tex]
D. [tex]55 + b \ \textless \ 71[/tex]

Answer :

Let's solve this problem step by step:

1. Understand the Problem:
- Steven has 55 baseball cards.
- Together, Steven and Lucas have more than 71 baseball cards.

2. Define the Variable:
- Let [tex]\( b \)[/tex] represent the number of baseball cards Lucas has.

3. Set Up the Inequality:
- Since together they have more than 71 cards, we can express this with the inequality:
[tex]\[
55 + b > 71
\][/tex]
- Here, 55 represents the number of cards Steven has, and [tex]\( b \)[/tex] is the number of cards Lucas has.

4. Choose the Correct Option:
- From the given options, we compare each one:
- A. [tex]\( 55 - b > 71 \)[/tex] does not match because it subtracts [tex]\( b \)[/tex].
- B. [tex]\( 55 + b > 71 \)[/tex] matches our derived inequality.
- C. [tex]\( b > 55 + 71 \)[/tex] is incorrect because it adds 71 after the inequality.
- D. [tex]\( 55 + b < 71 \)[/tex] suggests fewer cards together, which is the opposite condition.

Thus, the correct inequality representing the total number of baseball cards Steven and Lucas have is [tex]\( 55 + b > 71 \)[/tex], which corresponds to option B.