Final answer:
If Sam worked 38 hours and was paid $817, he would be paid approximately $581.18 if he worked 27 hours.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to determine how much Sam would be paid if he worked 27 hours, we can set up a proportion using the number of hours worked and the amount of pay. We know that Sam was paid $817 for 38 hours of work, so the proportion can be written as:
38 hours / $817 = 27 hours / x
To solve for x, we can cross multiply and then divide:
38x = 27 * $817
x = (27 * $817) / 38
x ≈ $581.18
Therefore, if Sam worked 27 hours, he would be paid approximately $581.18.