Final answer:
The constant of proportionality in the equation y = 5x is 5, representing the club earning $5 for each car washed. X is the number of cars washed, and y is the total money earned.
Step-by-step explanation:
The constant of proportionality in the equation y = 5x is 5. This constant represents the amount of money earned for washing one car by the Spanish club. Therefore, for each car washed (x), the club earns $5 (the constant of proportionality).
In the context of the scenario, x is the independent variable, which represents the number of cars washed, and y is the dependent variable, which represents the total amount of money made. The equation provided is a direct variation because there is no y-intercept, indicating that there is no flat fee or starting amount before any cars are washed.
For example, if the club washed 10 cars, you would substitute x with 10 and calculate y as y = 5(10) = 50, meaning the club made $50.