Javier and Brianna both have summer jobs working at Honeybee Ice Cream. Javier makes $15 per hour, and he has already earned a total of $270 this summer. Brianna is starting today, and she will be making $18 per hour as a new manager. Javier and Brianna work the same schedule.

Which equation can you use to find h, the number of hours of work it will take for Brianna and Javier to have earned the same amount of money?
How many hours of work will it take for Brianna and Javier to have earned the same amount of money?

1 answer

To find the number of hours \( h \) it will take for Brianna and Javier to have earned the same amount of money, we can set up equations for their earnings based on the given information.

  1. Javier's earnings:

    • Javier has already earned $270. He makes $15 per hour, so after \( h \) additional hours, his total earnings will be: \[ J = 270 + 15h \]
  2. Brianna's earnings:

    • Brianna is starting today and will earn $18 per hour. After \( h \) hours, her total earnings will be: \[ B = 18h \]

To find the number of hours when both have earned the same amount, we set \( J \) equal to \( B \): \[ 270 + 15h = 18h \]

Now, we can solve for \( h \): \[ 270 = 18h - 15h \] \[ 270 = 3h \] \[ h = \frac{270}{3} \] \[ h = 90 \]

Thus, it will take \( 90 \) hours of work for Brianna and Javier to have earned the same amount of money.