Question

Last month, Belinda worked 160 hours at a rate of $10.00 per hour. If her employer retains 9% of her gross salary, is $1,500 a reasonable estimate of her net salary?

Answer 1

We have been given that last month, Belinda worked 160 hours at a rate of $10.00 per hour.

Let us find amount earned by Belinda last month as:

$\text{Amount earned in 160 hours}=\ 10\times 160$

$\text{Amount earned in 160 hours}=\ 1600$

We are also told that Belinda's employer retains 9% of her gross salary. This means that Belinda's net income will be 91% of $1600. $(100\%-9\%=91\%)$.

$\text{Belinda's net income would be}=\ 1600 \times \frac{91}{100}$

$\text{Belinda's net income would be}=\ 16\times 91$

$\text{Belinda's net income would be}=\ 1456$

Upon rounding $1456 to nearest hundred, we will get:

$\text{Belinda's net income would be}\approx \ 1500$

Therefore, $1500 is a reasonable estimate of her net salary.