Final answer:
The bus system in Montgomery, Alabama lost $4,000 on the first day of the boycott in 1956.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1956, the fare for buses in Montgomery, Alabama was 10 cents. On the first day of the boycott, 40,000 people chose not to ride the buses. To calculate the amount of money lost by the bus system, we can multiply the fare by the number of people who boycotted the buses:
Money Lost = Fare x Number of people boycotting
Money Lost = $0.10 x 40,000
Money Lost = $4,000
Therefore, the bus system lost $4,000 on the first day of the boycott in 1956.