Final answer:
The total income for the motel when three rooms are empty is $1,224, as calculated by multiplying the number of occupied rooms by the increased room rate due to the empty rooms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The owner of a small motel has an unusual pricing strategy where the cost of a room increases depending on the number of empty rooms. To find the total income when three rooms are empty, we calculate as follows: (total number of rooms - empty rooms) × (base rate + incremental rate × number of empty rooms). In this case, it is (20-3) × ($48 + $8 × 3). After calculation, the total income for the motel when three rooms are empty is 17 × $72, which equals $1,224.