1. Ben has a part-time job in the evenings at the local grocery store. He earns \( \$ 7.25 \) per hour. Last week he earned a total of \( \$ 87 \). How many hours did he work last week? Define a variable and write an equation for this real-world problem. Variable:

Let the variable \( h \) represent the number of hours Ben worked last week. The equation can be set up as follows: \[ 7.25h = 87 \] To find how many hours he worked, you can solve for \( h \) by dividing both sides of the equation by \( 7.25 \). Now, here’s a fun fact: part-time jobs like Ben's are a great way for teens to learn financial responsibility and time management. Many young people value these opportunities because they not only earn money but also gain skills that can be beneficial later in life. Speaking of finances, it's important to keep track of earnings and expenses, regardless of age. Ben should consider saving a portion of his earnings for future goals or unexpected expenses. A common mistake young workers make is forgetting to budget or save—try to plan out monthly expenses so that money can stretch further!