fun center rental popcorn machines for $20 per hour. In addition to the hourly charge, there is a rental fee of $32. Is the number of hours you rent the popcorn machine proportional to the total cost?

nope - that fixed fee of $32 wrecks the proportion.

To determine whether the number of hours you rent the popcorn machine is proportional to the total cost, we need to compare the relationship between the number of hours and the total cost.

In this case, the total cost can be calculated using the formula:
Total Cost = (Hourly Charge * Number of Hours) + Rental Fee

Let's calculate the total cost for different durations:
For 1 hour of rental:
Total Cost = ($20 * 1) + $32 = $20 + $32 = $52

For 2 hours of rental:
Total Cost = ($20 * 2) + $32 = $40 + $32 = $72

For 3 hours of rental:
Total Cost = ($20 * 3) + $32 = $60 + $32 = $92

From these calculations, it is clear that as the number of hours increases, the total cost also increases. Hence, the number of hours you rent the popcorn machine is directly proportional to the total cost.