Question 388074
1.  The unit price is 132/x.  From the 2nd sentence, {{{(x-1)(132/x + 1) = 132}}}.
Solving this equation, we get (x-1)(132 + x) = 132x;
{{{132x  +x^2 -132 -x = 132x}}};
{{{x^2 - x - 132 = 0}}};
(x-12)(x+11) = 0.  Hence x = 12,-11.  Eliminate -11, so the value of x,  or the number of books sold, is 12.

2.  Let a = # hours Adam works in a week, and 
x = hourly rate of Adam.
then from the given information,
ax = 192, and 
(a-8)(x+2)= 192.
The bottom equation is ax + 2a - 8x-16 = 192;
substituting ax =192 in to the last equation gives
192 +2a-8x-16 = 192, or a - 4x- 8 = 0, after simplifying.  Hence a = 4x+8.
Putting this into ax = 192, we get
(4x + 8)x = 192, or
(x+2)x = 48, or
{{{x^2+2x -48 = 0}}}, or
(x+8)(x-6) =0, which gives x = -8, 6.  Eliminate -8 (why?).
Therefore x = 6, the hourly rate of Adam, and 
6a  =192 -----> a = 32, the # of hours of work per week for Adam.