Problem 112 - 1,001 GED Practice Questions For Dummies

Question

Norman is determining what his gross pay at the end of the week should be. If he gets paid $13.15 per hour and works 18 hours, what should his gross pay be? (Note: You may not use a calculator.)

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

Norman's gross pay at the end of the week should be $236.70.

Step 1: Break down the hourly wage and number of hours worked

First, we will break down the hourly wage ($13.15) and the number of hours Norman worked (18 hours) as follows: Hourly wage: $13.15 Number of hours worked: 18 hours

Step 2: Convert the hourly wage to cents

To make the calculations easier, we will convert the hourly wage in dollars to cents by multiplying it by 100: \(13.15 \times 100 = 1315\) cents

Step 3: Perform long multiplication

Next, we will multiply 1315 (hourly wage in cents) by 18 (hours worked) using long multiplication: ``` 1315 × 18 __________ 2630 (Step 1: Multiply 1315 by 8) + 1315 (Step 2: Multiply 1315 by 1 and shift it one place to the left) __________ 23670 ```

Step 4: Convert the result back to dollars

Finally, we will convert the result obtained (23670 cents) back to dollars by dividing it by 100: \(23670 \div 100 = 236.70\) The gross pay for Norman at the end of the week is $236.70.

Key Concepts

Gross Pay Calculation

Gross pay is the total amount of money a person earns before any deductions, such as taxes or insurance, are made. In simple terms, it's the full earnings from work before anything is taken out. Calculating your gross pay helps you know what you should receive based on your hourly rate or salary and the hours you worked.

• Find out the hourly rate. In Norman's case, it's $13.15 per hour.
• Determine the total hours worked. Norman worked 18 hours.
• Multiply the hourly rate by the total hours to get the gross pay.

Understanding gross pay is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. It sets the stage for computing your net pay, which is what you take home after deductions like taxes. Being aware of your gross pay ensures there are no surprises on your paycheck and empowers you to better manage your finances.

Hourly Wage Multiplication

To calculate earnings based on an hourly wage, multiplication is essential. This means taking the amount of money earned per hour and multiplying it by the number of hours worked. This allows for a straightforward calculation of gross pay. By multiplying the hourly rate of $13.15 by the 18 hours Norman worked, you account for all the hours and apply the same rate to each hour.

• Multiply $13.15/hour by 18 hours.
• You can break this down by converting dollars to cents, making it easier to handle without a calculator.

Always double-check calculations to ensure accuracy. Multiplying hourly wages is widely applicable in part-time jobs, overtime situations, or any work setup based on hours. It's a basic yet vital math skill that keeps you confident in financial dealings.

Long Multiplication Without Calculator

Long multiplication involves several steps but is a reliable method for handling larger numbers without a calculator. Starting with simpler numbers and converting them to whole numbers (like moving from $13.15 to 1315 cents) is one trick that helps manage decimal numbers more easily.

• Begin by laying the numbers out as you would in standard multiplication.
• Multiply each digit of the bottom number by each of the top number's digits. Start from the right.
• Add the results, ensuring you shift one space to the left as you move to higher digit places.

Finally, convert back to the necessary unit, such as dollars in this example by dividing by 100. Long multiplication might seem complex initially, but with practice, it becomes a trusted tool for doing math without digital assistance.