How do I solve the following problem using a system of equations and the elimination method?A plumber and a builder were employed to fit a new...

Start by choosing variables to represent the number of
hours the plumber and the builder each worked:

Let x = the
number of hours the plumber worked.

Let y = the number of
hours the builder worked.

Now use the information in the
problem to write two equations involving x and y.

$35x
represents the amount of money the plumber earned, and $28y represents the amount of
money the builder earned. Since together they earned $330.75, an equation representing
this relationship is

35x + 28y =
330.75

An equation representing the fact that the plumber
earned $106.75 more than the builder is

35x - 28y =
106.75

These two equations make up the system of equations
you need to solve. Using elimination, the steps are as
follows.

35x + 28y = 330.75     Subtract the bottom
equation from the
35x - 28y =  106.75     top equation to eliminate the x
terms.
_________________

56y =
224.00

Divide both sides by 56 to get y =
4.

This is the number of hours the builder
worked.

Substitute 4 for y in either of the two equations
and solve for x. Choosing the first equation gives

35x +
28(4) = 330.75  Now perform the multiplication to get

35x +
112 = 330.75    Subtracting 112 from both sides gives

35x =
218.75             Now divide both sides by 35

x = 6.25, or
6 1/4       This is how many hours the plumber
worked.

The plumber worked 6 1/4 hours and
the builder worked 4 hours.