Final answer:
The rate of Richard's earnings is $9 per hour. If Richard works for 7 hours, he would earn $63. If Richard earned $81, he must have worked for 9 hours.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the rate of Richard's earnings, we can use the formula y=mx, where y represents the earnings and m represents the rate of change. First, let's find the rate of change (m) using the given information:
m = (change in y) / (change in x)
For Monday to Tuesday, the change in y is $54 - $36 = $18. The change in x (hours) is 6 - 4 = 2. So, m = 18 / 2 = 9. Therefore, the rate of Richard's earnings is $9 per hour.
Now, if Richard works for 7 hours, we can calculate his earnings (y) using the formula:
y = mx
y = $9 * 7 = $63
Finally, to determine how many hours Richard worked on Friday when he earned $81, we can rearrange the formula:
x = y / m
x = $81 / $9 = 9 hours