Question 18

Isabel earns $150.10 on a day when she works 8.5 hours.

To calculate Isabel's earnings for a day when she works 8.5 hours, we first determine her regular earnings for the first 8 hours, and then calculate the earnings for the additional 0.5 hours at her overtime rate.

A) $126.40

This option incorrectly assumes that Isabel's earnings are limited to just the first 8 hours of work. At $15.80 per hour for 8 hours, her earnings would be $126.40, but it does not account for the additional half hour of overtime she worked.

B) $150.10

This is the correct answer. Isabel earns $15.80 for each of the first 8 hours, which totals $126.40. For the additional 0.5 hours, she earns 1.5 times her hourly rate, which is $23.70 (1.5 x $15.80). Therefore, adding these amounts gives $126.40 + $23.70 = $150.10.

C) $189.60

This option suggests that Isabel earned overtime for more hours than she actually worked. While it might be calculated as if she worked more than 8.5 hours, it fails to reflect the correct breakdown of her earnings for just 8.5 hours.

D) $201.45

This choice incorrectly represents Isabel's earnings by suggesting an inflated amount. It assumes higher overtime compensation than what is applicable for working only an additional 0.5 hours beyond her regular hours, leading to an inaccurate total.

E) $237.00

This option significantly overestimates Isabel's earnings, likely assuming she worked many more hours than she did or miscalculating the overtime pay. It does not align with the provided pay structure for the hours worked.

Conclusion

The correct answer, $150.10, accurately reflects Isabel's earnings by considering both her regular hourly pay for the first 8 hours and the correct rate for the additional 0.5 hours worked. All other options fail to correctly calculate the overtime pay or misinterpret the number of hours worked, leading to incorrect totals.