Question

The bill from your plumber was $134. The cost for labor was $32 per hour. The cost for materials was $46. How many hours did the plumber work?

Answer 1

since we know the plumber charges $32 for one hour of work, if the plumber works

1 hour, that's 32(1)

2 hours........ 32(2)

3 hours.........32(3)

4hours...........32(4)

x hours...........32(x) => 32x.

the cost of materials is $46, so your total charge for getting the lizard out of the bathtub pipe is the hours rate plus the 46 bucks, namely 32x + 46, and incidentally we know that's $134.

$\bf 32x+46=134\implies 32x=88\implies x=\cfrac{88}{32}\implies x=\cfrac{11}{4} \\[2em] x=2\frac{3}{4}\impliedby \textit{2 hours and 45 minutes}$