Final answer:
To represent the scenario, we can write the equation 'Total cost = $150 + ($12.50 * Number of people)'. The variable 'x' represents the number of people attending the catering event.
Step-by-step explanation:
To represent this scenario, we need to write an equation that relates the total cost of the catering event to the number of people attending.
Let's let 'x' represent the number of people attending the event. The flat fee of $150 will be added to the product of the number of people attending and the fee of $12.50 per person. The equation will be written as:
Total cost = Flat fee + (Number of people * Fee per person)
Substituting the given values:
Total cost = $150 + ($12.50x)
Now, we can solve the equation to find the value of 'x' (the number of people attending) by substituting the total cost of $1200:
$1200 = $150 + ($12.50x)
Subtracting $150 from both sides:
$1050 = $12.50x
Dividing both sides by $12.50:
x = 84
Therefore, the equation that represents this scenario is 'Total cost = $150 + ($12.50 * Number of people)', and the variable 'x' represents the number of people attending the catering event.
Learn more about Writing and solving equations