John paid a total of \( \$ 165 \) for a microscope by making a down payment of \( \$ 37 \) plus \( p \) monthly payments of \( \$ 16 \) each. Which of the following equations represents this situation? A) \( 16 p-37=165 \)

Let’s break it down! First, John made a down payment of \$37, so we need to figure out how much he still owes after that. He paid a total of \$165, so he has remaining \( 165 - 37 = 128 \) dollars to cover through monthly payments. Since each payment is \$16, you can express it with the equation \( 16p = 128 \). This reflects the relationship of the monthly payments to the remaining balance after the down payment! Now, regarding that specific equation \( 16p - 37 = 165 \), if you reorganize it, you would find that it doesn’t reflect the total amount owed after the down payment. Instead, it should set up to represent the total after covering the down payment first. Keep in mind to always check if your equations align with your initial conditions!