Question

Kelly works at a grocery store. In one week she earned $390 for 47 hours, of which 7 hours were overtime. The next week she earned $416 for 50 hours, of which 8 hours were overtime. What is Kelly's overtime rate?

Answer 1

Kelly's overtime rate is $15 per hour, calculated by setting up and solving a system of equations with two variables representing her regular and overtime pay rates based on the earnings and hours worked for two weeks.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is that Kelly's overtime rate is $15 per hour. To find this, we can set up two equations based on the information provided. For the first week: 40(hours) × X(dollars/hour) + 7(hours) × Y(dollars/hour) = $390.

And for the second week: 42(hours) × X + 8(hours) × Y = $416. Since we're looking for the overtime rate (Y), we'll first need to calculate the regular rate (X).

To solve for X and Y, let's assume X is the regular hourly rate and Y is the overtime hourly rate. Regular hours are paid at the regular rate while overtime hours are paid at the overtime rate, which is typically 1.5 times the regular rate. Since the problem does not provide the regular rate directly, we'll have to use the information given to find it.

Now, let's solve the system of equations. By subtracting the second equation from the first, we eliminate Y and find the regular rate (X). Once we have X, we can put it back into any of the two equations to find the overtime rate (Y).