To calculate Maria's earnings for the week, we need to know the total number of hours she worked as a babysitter during that week.
Let's call this variable "h" (for hours worked).
Once we know the value of "h," we can multiply it by the rate Maria charges per hour ($5) to get her total earnings for the week.
So the equation to calculate Maria's earnings (E) for the week would be:
E = $5/h * h
Or, simply:
E = $5h