Final answer:
After adding the cost of her gas and drink together, Maria's total is $40.23. Since she pays with a $50 bill, we subtract the total cost from $50 to find that Maria will receive $9.77 in change.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out how much change Maria will receive, we need to add up the cost of her purchases and subtract this total from the amount she paid with. Maria's gas costs $38.24 and her drink is $1.99. First, let's find the total cost of her purchases:
$38.24 + $1.99 = $40.23
Now, let's calculate the change she should receive after paying with a $50 bill:
$50.00 - $40.23 = $9.77
So, Maria will receive $9.77 in change.