Final answer:
The average monthly earnings of a working high school student is likely close to option (b) $500, based on the BLS data indicating full-time adult workers with a high school diploma earn an average of $781 weekly and full-time minimum wage work resulting in $1,256 monthly.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking for the average monthly earnings of a working high school student. While the question does not provide a specific answer, we can infer from the data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) that high school graduates aged 25 and over with no higher education earn an average of $781 weekly, which amounts to approximately $40,612 over 12 months. Assuming that a working high school student potentially works part-time and earns less than a full-time adult worker, we can reasonably choose option (b) $500 as the closest estimate to the average monthly earnings. This choice seems realistic given that full-time minimum wage work would result in $15,080 annually before taxes, according to data which translates to approximately $1,256 monthly. Considering that high school students often work part-time, it would be fair to say that they earn less per month.