A bridge can hold a maximum of 75,000 pounds. A truck that weighs 40,000 pounds carries boxes that weigh 40 pounds each. What is the maximum number of boxes the truck can carry to cross the bridge? Express your answer as an inequality

Answer 1

Let's assume the number of boxes the truck can carry is represented by the variable $x$. Since each box weighs 40 pounds, the weight of all the boxes is $40x$. The weight of the truck and the boxes combined is $40,000 + 40x$. We want this weight to be less than or equal to the maximum weight the bridge can hold, which is 75,000 pounds. So we have the inequality: $$40,000 + 40x \leq 75,000.$$ Subtracting 40,000 from both sides gives: $$40x \leq 35,000.$$ Dividing both sides by 40 gives: $$x \leq 875.$$ Therefore, the maximum number of boxes the truck can carry to cross the bridge is $\boxed{875}$.