To solve the problem, we need to determine which equation represents the relationship between the number of pencils and pens that Murphy has.
We know the following:
1. Murphy has 18 pencils.
2. Murphy has 3 times as many pencils as pens.
Let's denote the number of pens Murphy has by [tex]\( n \)[/tex].
Since Murphy has 3 times as many pencils as pens, we can write this relationship as:
[tex]\[ \text{Pencils} = 3 \times \text{Pens} \][/tex]
Given Murphy's total number of pencils is 18, we can substitute that into the equation:
[tex]\[ 18 = 3 \times n \][/tex]
To isolate [tex]\( n \)[/tex] and find out how many pens Murphy has, we need to divide both sides of the equation by 3:
[tex]\[ \frac{18}{3} = n \][/tex]
Therefore, the equation that represents how to find the number of pens Murphy has is:
[tex]\[ 18 \div 3 = n \][/tex]
Thus, the correct answer is:
[tex]\[ F \quad 18 \div 3=n \][/tex]
