Final answer:
To find Alexis's salary, we first determine Gary's salary by setting an equation based on their pay relationships and the total salary sum. Gary's salary is found to be $64, and since Alexis earns 2 ½ times Gary's salary, Alexis's salary is calculated to be $160.
Step-by-step explanation:
How to Find Alexis's Salary
Let's denote Gary's daily salary as G. According to the question, Alexis earns 2 ½ times as much as Gary, which means Alexis's daily salary is 2.5G. James earns $18 more than Gary, making his daily salary G + $18. We are given that the total daily salary of all three is $306, so we can set up the following equation:
2.5G + (G + $18) + G = $306
Combining like terms, we get:
4.5G + $18 = $306
Subtracting $18 from both sides gives:
4.5G = $288
To find Gary's salary, we divide both sides by 4.5:
G = $288 / 4.5
G = $64
Knowing Gary's salary, we calculate Alexis's salary:
Alexis's salary = 2.5 × G
Alexis's salary = 2.5 × $64
Alexis's salary = $160