Final answer:
Gia will earn a total of $102 in interest after 4 years by depositing $500 in each of her two savings accounts, one earning 3.4% annual simple interest and the other earning half as much.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the total interest Gia will earn in 4 years, we need to determine the interest earned on each account and then add them together.
Let's start with the first account that earns 3.4% annual simple interest. After 4 years, the interest earned on this account would be:
$500 × 0.034 × 4 = $68
Now, let's calculate the interest earned on the second account that earns half as much, which is 1.7% annual simple interest. After 4 years, the interest earned on this account would be:
$500 × 0.017 × 4 = $34
To find the total interest, we add the interest earned on both accounts:
$68 + $34 = $102
Therefore, Gia will have earned a total of $102 in interest after 4 years.