An employer has a daily payroll of 1225.00 when employing some workers at 80.00 per day and others at 85.00 per day. When the number of 80.00 workers increases by 50% and the number of 85.00 workers is decreased by 1/5, the new daily payroll is 1540.00. How many were originally employed at each rate?

Question

I got the two equations:

1225=80x+85y and 1540=120x+68y

Then used the substitution method and ended up with

x=20.37 and y=-4.76

So if did this correct than x and y should equal the number of workers originally employed at each rate.

Did I do this right?

Answer 1

well i gues you did it rigth but i am not sure.

Answer 2

Something must be wrong because both x and y should be positive integers.

Let's quickly get rid of x.
3675 = 240x + 255y
3080 = 240x + 136y
------------------
595 = 119 y
y = 5
1225 = 80x + 425
80x = 800
x = 10

Answer 3

thanks for the help, I didn't realize you could line up the equations and solve that way by multiplying them to get a matching integer and then subtracting.

THANKS, for teaching so well!