Final answer:
The total time allocated (Y) for preparing an invoice for a new customer who ordered stock items is 7 minutes, calculated by adding the additional time for a new customer (3 minutes) to the fixed cost for a basic invoice (4 minutes).
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the total time allocated (Y) for preparing an invoice using the given formula Y = m(X) + b, we must identify the appropriate values for m (variable amount of time by type of transaction), X (type of transaction), and b (fixed cost or Y-intercept).
In this scenario, the transaction is for a new customer who ordered stock items. Therefore, the additional time for a new customer is 3 minutes, and there are no extra minutes added since custom items are not involved. The fixed cost for a basic invoice is 4 minutes.
Now we can plug these values into the formula as follows:
Y = m(X) + b
Y = 3(min for new customer) + 4(fixed cost)
Y = 3 + 4
Y = 7 minutes
Hence, the total time allocated for the invoice is 7 minutes.