Let's denote the number of pounds of cherries Malik can buy as \( x \). The total cost is $56.25, and $4.50 is spent per pound.
The equation representing the cost is:
\[ 4.50x + 49 = 56.25 \]
Now, solve for \( x \):
\[ 4.50x = 56.25 - 49 \]
\[ 4.50x = 7.25 \]
\[ x = \frac{7.25}{4.50} \]
Calculate \( x \) to find the number of pounds Malik can buy.
The calculation for \( x \) is:
\[ x = \frac{7.25}{4.50} \approx 1.61 \]
So, Malik can buy approximately 1.61 pounds of cherries with the given amount of money. However, since you can't buy a fraction of a pound in reality, Malik can buy 1 pound of cherries with some money left over.
