Answer: The answer is $361
Explanation:
To find out the amount of Ms. Gibson's paycheck, we can follow these steps:
1. First, let's find out how much money Ms. Gibson had remaining after she paid the electric company. We know that she had $309 left.
2. Next, we need to subtract the amount she sent to the electric company from the remaining money. Ms. Gibson sent $83.50 to the electric company, so we subtract $83.50 from $309.
3. After subtracting $83.50 from $309, we find that Ms. Gibson had $225.50 left.
4. We also know that Ms. Gibson put aside 3/8 of her paycheck to pay her rent. So, the remaining money, $225.50, represents 5/8 of her paycheck.
5. To find out how much Ms. Gibson's paycheck was, we can set up an equation: (5/8) * paycheck = $225.50.
6. To solve the equation, we need to isolate the paycheck on one side. We can do this by multiplying both sides of the equation by the reciprocal of 5/8, which is 8/5.
(5/8) * paycheck * (8/5) = $225.50 * (8/5).
paycheck = $361.
Therefore, Ms. Gibson's paycheck was $361.