Mackenzie needed to get her computer fixed. She took it to the repair store. The technician at the store worked on the computer for 2.75 hours and charged her $181 for parts. The total was $249.75.

Answer 1

The total cost to repair the computer is equal to the cost of parts plus number of hours worked times dollars charged per hour for labor. Translating that into an equation looks like this, where x is the charge per hour of labor.

$249.75 = $181 + 2.75 hours ($x / hour)

To solve for x:

1) subtract $181 from both sides of the equation)

$68.75 = 2.75 hours ($x / hour)

Divide both sides by 2.75 hours:

$68.75/2.75 hours = $x/hour

$25/ hour = x

Most of the time you would not bother showing the units when solving this problem, but it probably helps to see that indeed x represents dollars / hour.

$181 parts

+

2.75 hours ($25 per hour) = $68.75

= $249.75