Final answer:
To calculate the hourly wage, divide the total weekly earnings by the number of work hours. If a student earns $400 a week working 40 hours, the hourly wage is $10 per hour. This straightforward calculation is a basic math application for determining income.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the hourly wage, you need to divide the total earnings by the number of hours worked. In this case, the student earns $400 a week for 40 hours of work. The formula to determine hourly wage is:
Hourly Wage = Total Earnings ÷ Hours Worked
Applying the formula, we get:
Hourly Wage = $400 ÷ 40 = $10
So, the hourly wage is $10 per hour. This is a straightforward calculation and is part of real-world math applications in terms of income and budgeting. Working full-time doesn't necessarily avoid poverty due to various economic factors like minimum wage laws, the cost of living, and taxes. As touched upon in the background information, even with a government guaranteed income, additional work may not significantly increase net earnings because of benefit reductions.