temp construction

Question

An employment agency specializing in temporary construction help pays heavy equipment operators $121 per day and general laborers $84 per day. If thirty-two
people were hired and the payroll was
$ 3724
how many heavy equipment operators were? employed? How many? laborers?

Answer 1

Jessica,

To solve this, we need a pair of equations that we can solve as a system.

 

If H = heavy equip. op.

and L = laborers

 

H + L = 32      and        121H + 84L = 3724     (solve for H and substitute

 

H = 32 - L     ⇒       121(32 - L) + 84L = 3724  (solve for L

 

                                       3872 - 37L = 3724

 

                                                -37L = -148

 

                                                    L = 4 laborers  (substitute back

 

H = 32 - 4 = 28 Heavy equip. operators

 

I hope that helps.

Bryan