Final answer:
To calculate the total cost 'y' of renting a backhoe for 'x' hours at a rate of $32 per hour, use the equation y = 32x.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the total cost, y, to rent the backhoe for x hours, we use a linear equation that relates the total cost to the number of hours the backhoe is rented. Since the rental rate for the backhoe is $32 per hour, we multiply this rate by the number of hours the backhoe is kept. There are no additional fees mentioned, therefore the equation would simply be:
y = 32x
In this equation, x represents the number of hours Jerome rents the backhoe, and y represents the total cost of renting the backhoe for those hours.