Happy Paws charges $19.00 plus $1.50 per hour to keep a dog during the day. Woof Watchers charges $15.00 plus $2.75 per hour. Write and solve an equation to find for how many hours the total cost of the services is equal. Using the variable h to represent the number of hours, write an expression to represent how much Happy Paws charges to keep a dog.
Using the variable h to represent the number of hours, write an expression to represent how much Woof Watchers charges to keep a dog.
Now, take the two expressions and set them equal to each other to represent the number of hours the total cost of the services is equal.
Solve the equation to answer the question: Happy Paws and Woof Watchers will charge
hours for the services.

After 3.2 or 3 hours and 12 minutes, the total cost of services is equal.

Explanation:

First, set up equations for total cost for both Happy Paws and Woof Watchers.

x= number of hours

y= total cost

Happy Paws

y= 1.5x + 19

Woof Watchers

y= 2.75x + 15

Because you have to find when the total cost is equal, then the y's of both equations are equal to each other. That means you can substitute the Woof Watchers' 2.75x + 15 into the y of Happy Paws.

2.75x + 15 = 1.5x + 19

Rearrange the equation so the variable, x, is on one side and the numbers on the other and solve.

1.25x = 4

x= 3.2

You can check the answer by plugging 3.2 into x in the two equations and see if they yield the same total cost.

Happy Paws: 1.5(3.2) + 19 = 23.8

Woof Watchers: 2.75(3.2) + 15 = 23.8

After 3.2 or 3 hours and 12 minutes, the total cost of services is equal.

Step-by-step explanation:

First, set up equations for total cost for both Happy Paws and Woof Watchers.

x= number of hours

y= total cost

Happy Paws

y

=

1.5

x

+

19

Woof Watchers

y

=

2.75

x

+

15

Because you have to find when total cost is equal, then the y's of both equations are equal to each other. That means you can substitute the Woof Watchers'

2.75

x

+

15

into the

y

of Happy Paws.

2.75

x

+

15

=

1.5

x

+

19

Rearrange the equation so the variable, x, is on one side and the numbers on the other and solve.

1.25

x

=

4

x

=

3.2

You can check the answer by plugging

3.2

into x in the two equations and see if they yield the same total cost

Happy Paws:

1.5

(

3.2

)

+

19

=

23.8

Woof Watchers:

2.75

(

3.2

)

+

15

=

23.8