Enrique reads 2 pages per minute and has already read 16 pages. If he must read at least 40 pages total, how many more minutes must he read?

What this problem is asking

You are given a reading rate (pages per minute), how many pages are already done, and a minimum total. The goal is to find how much more time is needed to meet the “at least 40 pages” requirement.

Find how many pages are still needed

Minimum total pages: $40$

Already read: $16$

Pages still needed: $$40 - 16 = 24 \text{ pages}$$

Convert remaining pages into minutes using the rate

Reading rate: $2$ pages per minute.

Time needed: $$\text{minutes} = \frac{24 \text{ pages}}{2 \text{ pages/min}} = 12 \text{ min}$$

Quick check

If he reads 12 more minutes, he reads $2 \times 12 = 24$ more pages. Then $16 + 24 = 40$, which meets “at least 40.”