Do you have a job? If not, what will your first job be? What expenses will you have? How much money will you actually earn? How can you compare earnings between two jobs? Linear equations can help answer all of these questions.
As you work through the activities, you will make graphs and write equations that model earnings for different jobs. After interviewing someone about his or her first job, you will choose a job that you might like and explain why you made that choice.
Task 1: Graphing
Find the starting hourly wage for two jobs that interest you.
For each job, write an equation that gives the income y for working x hours.
With hours worked (0 to 10) on the horizontal axis and income on the vertical axis, graph your two equations.
Suppose you work eight hours in one day. Explain how your graph shows the difference in income for the two jobs.
Task 2: Modeling
Suppose you earn $8.50/h at a bakery. From your first paycheck you determine that $2.15/h is withheld for taxes and benefits. You work x hours during a five-day week and you spend $3.75 each day for lunch.
Write an equation for your weekly earnings after taxes, benefits, and lunch expenses.
In this situation, what do the slope and the y-intercept represent?
How many hours must you work to earn $120 after taxes, benefits, and lunch expenses?
Task 3: Interviewing
Interview an adult about a job he or she had as a teenager. Ask about positive and negative aspects of the job, salary, and expenses. Write an equation that describes the person’s weekly earnings after expenses.
Task 4: Finishing the Project
The answers to the three activities should help you complete your project.
Work with several classmates. Share what you learned about jobs for
teenagers. List positive and negative aspects of income and expenses for
several jobs. On your own, organize your graphs, equations, and job
information in a folder. Write a final paragraph that explains what job you
would like and why.
Reflect and Revise
You should present job-comparison information in a well-organized format.
Your graphs should be easy to understand. Be sure you have explained
clearly how your equations model each income. Make any revisions
necessary to improve your project.
Extending the Project
Some employers will hire only people with experience in the job for which
they apply.You can gain experience by creating your own job. Find out how
you might go about starting your own business. Research potential expenses
and income.