Final answer:
Caitlyn will be charged interest on the remaining balance of $125 after her payment. The correct calculation for the interest is to multiply $125 by the monthly interest rate of 1.5%, yielding $1.875. Therefore, the expression to determine Caitlyn's interest after the first month is (0.015) ($125).
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the interest Caitlyn will be charged after the first month, we need to understand how credit card interest works and apply the correct formula. Caitlyn had a beginning balance of $375, made a payment of $250, which leaves her with a remaining balance of $125 for the rest of the billing cycle. Since interest is typically charged on the remaining balance, not on what was paid, we will calculate the interest on $125.
The annual percentage rate (APR) on Caitlyn's credit card is 18%. To find the monthly interest rate, we divide the APR by 12 (months). In this case:
Monthly interest rate = APR / 12 = 18% / 12 = 1.5% or 0.015.
Interest for the first month is calculated as:
Interest = Remaining balance x Monthly interest rate = $125 x 0.015 = $1.875.
The correct expression to find the amount of interest charged after the first month is:
(0.015) ($125)