Question

A contractor bought 6.4 ft of sheet metal. She has used 2.1 ft² so far and has $129 worth of sheet metal remaining. The equation 6.4x – 2.1x = 129 represents how much sheet metal is remaining and the cost of the remaining amount. How much does sheet metal cost per square foot?

Answer 1

To find the cost per square foot of the sheet metal, you simplify the equation 6.4x – 2.1x = 129 by combining like terms and dividing both sides by 4.3, resulting in a cost of $30 per square foot.

Step-by-step explanation:

The equation provided, 6.4x – 2.1x = 129, represents the total cost of sheet metal the contractor has after using some of it. To find the cost per square foot of the sheet metal, we will first simplify the equation to find x, which represents the cost per square foot.

First, combine like terms:

6.4x – 2.1x = 4.3x

Now, divide both sides of the equation by 4.3 to solve for x:

4.3x / 4.3 = 129 / 4.3

x = 30

Therefore, the cost of sheet metal is $30 per square foot.