multi-step problem...yay

A company will lease an office space in two buildings. The annual cost is $21.75 per square foot in the first building and $17 per square foot in the second. The company has $86,000 budgeted for rent.
a. write an equation that models the possible amounts of space rented in the buildings.
b. How many square feet of space can be rented in the first building if 2500 square feet are rented in the second?
c. If the company wants to rent equal amounts of space in the buildings what is the total number of square feet that can be rented?

Question

multi-step problem...yay

A company will lease an office space in two buildings. The annual cost is $21.75 per square foot in the first building and $17 per square foot in the second. The company has $86,000 budgeted for rent. 
a. write an equation that models the possible amounts of space rented in the buildings.
b. How many square feet of space can be rented in the first building if 2500 square feet are rented in the second?
c. If the company wants to rent equal amounts of space in the buildings what is the total number of square feet that can be rented?

anonymous · Answer

HELP!!

ddcamp · Answer

Let a be the square footage rented in the first building, and b be the square footage rented in the second.

Total rented = 21.75a + 17b. Can you rewrite that as an inequality for part (a)?

anonymous · Answer

are you asking if I can personally or if it's like taboo or something lol. sorry it's late and im really a bit slow ;)

ddcamp · Answer

Asking if you know how. Don't worry, we've all had those nights.

anonymous · Answer

haha ok thanks :). umm i think so, actually...no. i dont think i can go from an equation to an inequality, can you give me the first step? i might be able to work it from there.

ddcamp · Answer

So you know that the total cost is 21.75a + 17b, and that the total budget is 86000. Since the total cost can not go over this maximum cost , we have:
86000 ≥ 21.75a + 17b

ddcamp · Answer

Then part b is asking: if b = 2500, what is the maximum that a can be?, or:
86000 ≥ 21.75a + 17(2500)
for a.

anonymous · Answer

OOHHH YEAH!! wait i DID know that!!! it would be 2000>a    
that's a greater than or equal to, i cant find the equal to line :(

anonymous · Answer

please tell me i did that right...?

ddcamp · Answer

Yup, 2000≥a, good job :)
Then, for part c, take the original equation:
86000 ≥ 21.75a + 17b
and replace the b with a (since they are going to be equal) and solve.
86000 ≥ 21.75a + 17a

anonymous · Answer

YES! and ok....solve for a right?

ddcamp · Answer

yup

anonymous · Answer

Ok let me do this real quick. dont go anywhere!!

anonymous · Answer

umm...im getting fractions and decimals....together....1720/7.75....what did i do wrong??

anonymous · Answer

MEHHH...