Chapter 1 Project: Buy the Hour

Beginning the Chapter Project

Have you had your first job yet? If so, you were probably paid an hourly wage. The

amount of money you earned for each hour you worked may have been the minimum

wage. This amount, set by the U.S. Department of Labor, is the minimum amount for

one hour of work an employer is allowed to pay to employees who meet certain specific

criteria. Each state may set its own minimum wage, but where federal and state laws

set different rates, the employer is required to pay the greater of the two amounts to all

employees to whom the conditions of the federal law apply.*

In this project, you will write expressions that model amounts of money earned. You will

write equations and inequalities to determine the number of hours that must be worked

to satisfy certain conditions. You will also research the current federal and state minimum

wage laws.

Activities

Activity 1: Researching

Research the current federal minimum wage. Then find out whether the state in

which you live has set its own minimum wage. If so, what is that wage? Select a

state other than the state in which you live. Research the minimum wage for that

state. You might find it helpful to contact the U.S. Department of Labor and state

labor commissioners, or to use the Internet to find this data.

Activity 2: Modeling

Suppose you earn the minimum wage determined in Activity 1 for the state other than your own.

Suppose that next week you plan to work h hours. Make an expression that models the

amount of money you will earn.

Suppose that your friend earns the same hourly wage that you earn, but works

in a job for which he receives tips. Make an expression that models your

friend's total earnings for a week during which he works n hours and receives

$15 in tips. Then, evaluate the expression for n 5 10 and explain what this

number means.

Make an expression that models the sum of your earnings for 3 weeks and your friend's

earnings for 2 weeks if you each work r hours per week and your friend receives $15 in

tips per week. Simplify the expression.

Make an expression that models the difference between your earnings

and your friend's earnings for a week during which you work h hours, your

friend works n hours, and your friend earns t dollars in tips. (Hint: Be sure to

consider the fact that you do not know who earns more money!)

Activity 3: Solving

Round numbers of hours to the nearest tenth if necessary.

Suppose that last week your employer gave you a $.50/h raise and a $20

bonus as a reward for good work. You earned a total of $80 for the week. Let

x represent the number of hours you worked that week. Make an equation to

model this situation. Then solve your equation and explain the meaning of

your solution.

Suppose your friend (still earning minimum wage) receives $20 in tips, and that you

(earning $.50/h more than your friend) have earned the same amount of money at the

end of a week during which you worked the same number of hours as your friend. Write

an equation to model this situation. Then solve your equation and explain the meaning

of your solution.

Suppose that your friend wants to earn at least $95 next week and he expects

to earn $15 in tips. Make an inequality that models this situation. Then solve

and graph your inequality. Explain the meaning of your solution.

Thank you to whoever helps me! By doing it, your helping me because it allows me to see how it is laid out. Thank you and have a great day or evening!