Final answer:
José was given a per diem advancement of $1000.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out how much per diem advancement José was given, we need to subtract the amount he spent from the amount he was advanced. The question states that José spent $500 less than he was advanced, so his total spending can be represented as (x - 500), where x is the per diem advancement. The law requires José to return the $500 advancement, so his total spending plus the amount he needs to return should equal the initial advancement. Mathematically, this can be represented as (x - 500) + 500 = x. Simplifying this equation, we find that x = $1000.