To analyze the problem, let's determine how long it takes for the temperature to drop from 96° Fahrenheit to below 32° Fahrenheit.
- The temperature drops an average of 4° Fahrenheit per week.
- The total temperature drop needed to reach below freezing is: \[ 96° - 32° = 64° \text{ Fahrenheit} \]
- To find out how many weeks it takes to drop 64° Fahrenheit: \[ \text{Weeks} = \frac{64°}{4°/\text{week}} = 16 \text{ weeks} \]
Since the problem involves dropping below freezing, this implies that it will take exactly 16 weeks to reach 32°, and just a bit longer to drop below it.
Now, interpreting the options:
- A: It would take 16 or less weeks to drop below freezing. (Incorrect, it takes exactly 16 weeks to reach 32° but not below freezing.)
- B: It would take less than 16 weeks to drop below freezing. (Incorrect, it takes exactly 16 weeks to reach 32°.)
- C: It would take 16 or more weeks to drop below freezing. (Correct, it takes 16 weeks to reach 32° and will take more than 16 weeks to go below freezing.)
- D: It would take more than 16 weeks to drop below freezing. (While this is true, the "16 or more" option is a more comprehensive answer.)
Thus, the correct interpretation of the solution is C. It would take 16 or more weeks to drop below freezing.