An employment agency specializing in temporary construction pays heavy equipment operators $133 per day and general laborers $88 per day. if thirty-six people were hired and the payroll was $4068, how many heavy equipment operators were employed? how many laborers?

H = amount of heavy equipment operators

g = amount of general laborers

so, we know that 36 people were hired, that, whatever "h" and "g" are, we know that h + g = 36.

and the payroll was 4068, so the pay in total for all 36 folks was 4068 bucks.

ok.... well, if there are "h" operators and each makes $133 per day, so, all "h" make then 133 * h, or 133h.

now, if there are "g" laborers and each makes $88 daily, so "g" of them make 88 * g, or 88g.

so, we know what all of them made was 4068, that was the payroll total, thus 133h + 88g = 4068.



how many laborers were employed?  well, g = 36 - h.