Write an equation and solve for x.

Question

Seawall Bike Rental Shop charges a $11 fixed fee plus $9 an hour to rent a bike. Steve paid $56 to rent a bike.



How many hours did he pay to have the bike checked out?.
hours

Answer 1

To solve for \( x \), the number of hours Steve rented the bike, we need to set up an equation based on the charges.

The total charge for renting a bike can be expressed as:

\[ \text{Total Charge} = \text{Fixed Fee} + (\text{Hourly Rate} \times \text{Number of Hours}) \]

From the information given:

• Fixed Fee = $11
• Hourly Rate = $9
• Total Charge = $56
• Number of Hours = \( x \)

We can set up the equation:

\[ 56 = 11 + 9x \]

Now, we will solve for \( x \).

1. Subtract the fixed fee from both sides:

\[ 56 - 11 = 9x \]

\[ 45 = 9x \]

2. Divide both sides by 9:

\[ x = \frac{45}{9} \]

\[ x = 5 \]

Thus, Steve rented the bike for 5 hours.