Final answer:
To determine Susan's possible income, a table should be created showing her work hours, earnings, remaining government support, and total income, considering the $1 reduction in benefits for every $1 earned.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question relates to creating a budget table for Susan, a single mother, to determine her income with the effect of working hours on her government support. Susan can work up to 1,800 or 2,000 hours a year at $8 per hour and will receive $16,000 in government benefits if she does not work. However, her benefits decrease by $1 for every $1 she earns from work. To create a table, list the possible hours Susan can work in the first column.
Multiply those hours by her wage to get her earnings from work in the second column. In the third column, calculate her remaining government benefit by subtracting her earnings from the initial $16,000 benefit. The final column, total income, is the sum of her earnings and the government support she remains eligible for. Opportunity costs and her incentive to work may be affected by this system, as her net income increases very little with additional work due to the reduction in government benefits.