Question

The table shows how the cost of hiring a plumber depends on how long the work takes. Give the rule in words describing the relationship between the hours workedand the cost.

Hours Cost
1 $65
2 $90
3 $115
4 $140
5 $165

Answer 1

The rule that describes the relationship between the hours worked and the cost is that there's an initial base fee of $65 plus $25 for each additional hour of work.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student has provided a table showing the cost of hiring a plumber for different amounts of time. To describe the rule relating the hours worked to the cost in words, we first need to determine the increase in cost for each additional hour of labor. Let's examine the increments:

• From 1 hour to 2 hours, the cost increases from $65 to $90, which is an increase of $25.
• From 2 hours to 3 hours, the cost increases from $90 to $115, another increase of $25.
• From 3 hours to 4 hours, the cost increases from $115 to $140, which is also an increase of $25.
• Finally, from 4 hours to 5 hours, the cost increases from $140 to $165, an increase of $25.

Since the cost increases by $25 for each additional hour, we can say that the plumber charges an initial cost plus an hourly rate. Specifically, the cost for 1 hour is $65, which we can consider as a base fee that includes the first hour of work. So the hourly rate after the first hour is $25 more per hour.

The rule in words that describes the relationship between the hours worked and the cost is: "The total cost consists of an initial base fee of $65 plus $25 for each additional hour of work."