Final answer:
Derek's debt-payments ratio is calculated by dividing his monthly credit payments ($425) by his take-home pay ($4,775). This results in a ratio of 0.089 or 8.9%, indicating a healthy financial state as it is below the recommended maximum of 20%.
Step-by-step explanation:
Derek’s debt-payments ratio is a tool used to assess his financial health by comparing the amount of money he owes each month to his take-home pay. To calculate this ratio, we would take Derek's monthly credit payments and divide them by his take-home pay. Thus, the calculation for Derek’s debt-payments ratio is:
Monthly Credit Payments / Take-Home Pay = $425 / $4,775 = 0.089 or 8.9%
This means that 8.9% of Derek's monthly take-home pay goes towards credit payments, which is under the recommended maximum of 20%. Having a debt-payments ratio under this threshold generally indicates good financial health and that Derek is managing his credit responsibly.