Final answer:
To determine the number of hours the plumber worked, solve the linear equation $435 = $50 + $70x, where $435 is the total earnings, $50 is the charge for the house call, and $70 is the hourly rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking for the equation that can be used to find the number of hours a plumber worked, given that the total earnings from a house call were $435, with a $50 house call charge and $70 per hour for labor. To find the hours of work, we can set up a linear equation where the total earnings Y equal the base charge (B) plus the hourly rate (H) times the number of hours worked (x):
Y = B + Hx
For this situation, we know that:
- Total earnings Y = $435
- Base charge B = $50
- Hourly rate H = $70
Using this information, we substitute the values into the equation:
$435 = $50 + $70x
To find x, the number of hours worked, we would subtract the base fee from the total earnings and then divide by the hourly rate:
- Subtract the base charge from both sides of the equation: $435 - $50 = $70x
- Divide by the hourly rate to solve for x: ($435 - $50) / $70 = x
Thus, the equation to solve for the number of hours the plumber worked is $435 = $50 + $70x.