<PRE><B>Question 904682</B>
We are told that Shawn earns an hourly wage plus tips. So, there are two parts to his pay : hourly wage (hw) and tips (tps). 

We can write out two equations to solve this problem, making this a 2 by 2 equation with variables hw and tps.


12hw + tps = 117   (a)
10hw + tps = 110   (b)

We are going to multiply the second equation by -1

-10hw -tps = -110  (c)

Now according to the rules of 2 by 2 equations, we can add equations (a) and (c)
which gives us 

2hw = 7
hw  = 7/2= 3 1/2 or 3.5

So, we can see the hourly wage is $ 3.50 .

Since the tips both weeks are the same, we have

The first week : 

12( 3.50) + 75 = 117

The second week :

10 ( 3.50) + 75 = 110


</PRE>