Let's denote the unknown number as \( x \). The problem states that the sum of 4.5 and one-third of a number should be equal to at most 3.89. We can express this relationship with the following inequality:
\[ 4.5 + \frac{1}{3}x \leq 3.89 \]
To isolate \( x \), we can first subtract 4.5 from both sides of the inequality:
\[ \frac{1}{3}x \leq 3.89 - 4.5 \] \[ \frac{1}{3}x \leq -0.61 \]
Next, to solve for \( x \), multiply both sides by 3:
\[ x \leq -0.61 \times 3 \] \[ x \leq -1.83 \]
Thus, the possible values of \( x \) are all numbers less than or equal to \(-1.83\).
In summary, the inequality that represents the problem is:
\[ 4.5 + \frac{1}{3}x \leq 3.89 \]
And the solution for \( x \) is:
\[ x \leq -1.83 \]
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