Question

An employment agency specializing in temporary construction help pays heavy equipment operation $138 per day and general laborers $93 dollars per day. If thirty-one people were hired and the payroll was $3648, how many heavy equipment operators were employed? How many laborers?

Answer 1

17 heavy equipment operators and 14 general labourers were employed

Solution:

Let x = number of heavy equipment operators employed

Then,

31 - x = number of laborers employed

From given,

Pay of heavy equipment operators = $ 138 per day

Pay of general labours = $ 93 per day

Payroll was $3648

Therefore,

number of heavy equipment operators x Pay of heavy equipment operators + number of laborers employed x Pay of general labours = 3648

138x + 93(31 - x) = 3648

138x + 2883 - 93x = 3648

45x = 3648 - 2883

45x = 765

x = 17

Thus,

31 - x = 31 - 17 = 14

Therefore, 17 heavy equipment operators and 14 general labourers were employed