Final answer:
Bob rented the canoe for 6 hours. The calculation involved subtracting the fixed rental cost from the total paid and then dividing by the hourly rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bob spent a total of $78.50 on renting a canoe, which has a fixed cost of $20 and an additional cost of $9.75 per hour. To determine the number of hours Bob rented the canoe, we start with the total amount spent and subtract the fixed cost, then divide the remainder by the hourly cost.
- Subtract the fixed cost from the total cost: $78.50 - $20 = $58.50.
- Divide the remaining amount by the hourly rate: $58.50 ÷ $9.75.
- The result will give us the number of hours Bob rented the canoe.
Now to do the calculation:
$58.50 ÷ $9.75 = 6 hours
Thus, Bob rented the canoe for 6 hours.