Problem Solving

Ahmed earns $7 an hour for the first 40 hours of work in the week and $10 per hour overtime. If he worked twice as many overtime hours this week than last week and his total earnings were $710 in the two weeks, how many hours did he work in total during these two weeks?

A. 45
B. 90
C. 95
D. 100
E. 105

The OA is C.

$7 per the first 40 hours

$10 per hour overtime

Overtime hours = X

Then, the total hours that he worked previous week were 40*7 + X*10.

The total hours that he works this week, 40*7 + 2X*10.

Total of money that he earned in the last two weeks, (40*7 + X*10)+(40*7 + 2X*10) = 710 ==> X=5 hours.

Finally, Total hours previous week, 40 + 5 = 45 and the total hours this week, 40 + 2*(5) = 50.

Total hours that he worked the last two weeks 45 + 50 = 95.

Experts, any suggestion about this PS question? Thanks in advance.

LUANDATO wrote:Ahmed earns $7 an hour for the first 40 hours of work in the week and $10 per hour overtime. If he worked twice as many overtime hours this week than last week and his total earnings were $710 in the two weeks, how many hours did he work in total during these two weeks?

A. 45
B. 90
C. 95
D. 100
E. 105

An alternate approach is to PLUG IN THE ANSWERS, which represent the total number of hours.
When the correct answer is plugged in, the total earned = $710.

B: 90 hours, implying 80 hours of regular $7 pay and 10 hours of $10 overtime pay
Total earned= (80*7) + (10*10) = 660.
Since the total earned is too small, a greater answer choice is needed.
Eliminate A and B.

D: 100 hours, implying 80 hours of regular $7 pay and 20 hours of $10 overtime pay
Total earned = (80*7) + (20*10) = 760.
Since the total earned is too great, a smaller answer choice is needed.
Eliminate D and E.

The correct answer is C.