16. Maria worked 2 weeks, earning $435.50 the first week and $278.38 the second week. If she paid one-half of her two-week earnings for tuition, how much did she pay for tuition?
Answer: B
Maria paid $356.94 for tuition.
To determine how much Maria paid for tuition, we first need to calculate her total earnings for the two weeks, which amounts to $435.50 + $278.38. Half of this total will give us the amount she paid for tuition.
A) $713.88
Option A is incorrect because it represents the total earnings of Maria for the two weeks, which is $435.50 + $278.38. This amount does not reflect the tuition payment, which is calculated as one-half of her total earnings.
B) $356.94
Option B is correct as it accurately represents the amount Maria paid for tuition. After calculating her total earnings of $713.88, taking one-half of that amount gives $356.94, which is the tuition payment.
C) $217.75
Option C is incorrect because it does not represent any relevant calculation from the earnings or tuition payment. It appears to be an arbitrary figure that does not correspond to Maria's earnings or the tuition she paid.
D) $139.19
Option D is also incorrect as it does not relate to Maria's total earnings or the tuition payment. Like Option C, it lacks any mathematical connection to the earnings or the calculation of her tuition.
Conclusion
Maria's tuition payment of $356.94 is derived directly from half of her total earnings, making Option B the definitive answer. All other options either misrepresent the total earnings or do not correlate to the calculation required for determining tuition, confirming the accuracy of the correct choice.