need help in pre-algebra1 (prescriptive) !!!!

Question

anonymous · Answer

A bookshelf can hold a maximum of 45 books. Let b represents the number of books to be shelved. Which inequality represents how many books can be put on the shelves?

mathmale · Answer

Isn't there more to the question than that?  How long is the shelf?  How thick is each book?

anonymous · Answer

oh tru hold on

phi · Answer

they want a "relation"  which uses  <, >, ≤, or ≥

anonymous · Answer

@phi  yup

phi · Answer

you put the "big number"  next to the wide, fat part of >
and the "small number"  next to the small, pointy end of >

so which is the big number  and which is the small number in
 maximum of 45 books
and
 b represents the number of books to be shelved.

phi · Answer

in other words  you have  45  and you have "b"
which is the bigger "number"  (b is a letter but is "stands" for a number)

anonymous · Answer

got it :)