On Saturdays, Jason mows yards and washes cars. He charges $25 per yard and an additional cost for each car he washes. Last Saturday, Jason mowed 5 yards and washed 10 cars. He made a total of $225, and the equation `5(25)+10x=225` describes the amount of money he made that Saturday. What does the variable `x` represent in this situation?

Answer 1

In the given situation, the variable \( x \) represents the additional charge Jason makes for each car he washes.

To break down the equation \( 5(25) + 10x = 225 \):

• \( 5(25) \) calculates the total amount Jason made from mowing 5 yards at $25 per yard, which equals $125.
• \( 10x \) calculates the total amount Jason made from washing 10 cars, where \( x \) is the cost for washing each car.
• The sum of these amounts (\( 125 + 10x \)) equals the total money Jason made that day, which is $225.

So, \( x \) represents the charge Jason makes for washing each car.