180k views
1 vote
Your math teacher is paying you to tutor younger math students for a school week (5 days) at one hour for each school day. She asks you to pick from one of the two options for pay: $20 per hour/tutoring session or a starting pay of $4 that doubles with each subsequent tutoring session. Which option would you pick? (40 points) Explain your answer. (60 points)

User Vladinkoc
by
3.2k points

2 Answers

4 votes

Final answer:

Given the option to receive $20 per tutoring session for 5 days, which would total $100, or a starting pay of $4 that doubles each day, totaling $124 over 5 days, the better payment option would be the latter, as it earns more money overall.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject in question is a mathematical problem involving the concepts of simple interest versus compound growth, specifically doubling. To solve this scenario, we first need to calculate the total amounts for both payment options.

Option 1 is straightforward. You receive $20 per hour for 5 days, which amounts to $20 x 5 = $100.

Option 2 involves exponential growth, doubling the previous day's pay. Here's how you calculate it:

  1. Day 1: $4
  2. Day 2: $4 x 2 = $8
  3. Day 3: $8 x 2 = $16
  4. Day 4: $16 x 2 = $32
  5. Day 5: $32 x 2 = $64

If you sum all the amounts for option 2, you'll have $4 + $8 + $16 + $32 + $64 = $124.

Comparing both options, option 2 ends up giving you more money ($124) compared to option 1 ($100). Therefore, Option 2 would be the better choice if your aim is to earn more money.

Learn more about Exponential Growth

User MarioZG
by
3.7k points
6 votes

Answer: I hope this is the answer you're looking for.

Step-by-step explanation:

I would take the $20 per hour because if I take a starting pay of $4 that doubles with every session then for a school week I would earn $20 because 4x5=20 when I could just earn $20 an hour. 20x5=100 so ill be getting paid $100 a week for a tutor session. Option A ($20) depends on how many hours I am tutoring because if it tutoring for an hour then I would only get $20. For option B ($4) I would only get $4 for 1 session. So I would go with option A $20 an hour.

User Joped
by
3.6k points