Step-by-step explanation
The salary with regular pay rate is calculated as:
![S_{\text{regular}}=R* h](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/nddajzy79n64ijgqp2zruwzbsl68gbdn9y.png)
S is the salary, R is the regular pay rate and h is the number of hours worked.
The salary with over time is:
![S_{\text{overtime}}=2\text{Rxh}_{\text{overtime}}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/thqnww2k6kvgzmauffvwjnpjlu9y0c747p.png)
Because it pays double after 40 hours.
So the first 40 hours worked you'll get
![S_{\text{regular}}=40R](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/rgfg66hzwe4gjv13y7cprqauax5uhx105x.png)
The amount of overtime hours is 15 (55-40 = 15), so the overtime salary is:
![S_{\text{overtime}}=2R*15=30R](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/4x29gh8406wn9kdi91r80pvxi8jv95elku.png)
The total Salary is the sum of the regular and the overtime salaries:
![S=S_{\text{overtime}}+S_{\text{regular}}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/6kad7skh0yxfmp4kbqc1x0jh7l5ug2i5zi.png)
If the total salary was $840, then the regular pay rate R is:
![\begin{gathered} 840=30R+40R \\ 840=70R \\ R=(840)/(70)=12 \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/y4w8n7yv0uekxp4w0k6nxir27nbuo3t0d9.png)
Answer
Your regular pay rate is $12 / hour