Read & Listen: Calculating Minimum Wage
OVERVIEW
On this page, you will learn about minimum wage.
- First, read about the minimum wage.
- Then, listen to audio of the text.
- Last, read about how to calculate differences between salaries using the minimum wage.
READ & LISTEN
Image Links to an external site. by Steven Spell, CC BY SA 3.0 Links to an external site.
Read:
There are different ways you can be paid in the United States. Many people get paid by the hour, or for every 60 minutes of work. This is your hourly wage. There is a minimum hourly wage for many states in the U.S., but not for all states. The minimum wage in Washington State is $11.00 per hour. You can see some of the different hourly wages from different states in the table below.
| State | Minimum Wage |
|---|---|
| Washington | $11.00 |
| Oregon | $9.25 |
| California | $10.00 |
| Hawaii | $8.50 |
| Idaho | $7.25 |
Listen:
Image Links to an external site. by Steven Spell, CC BY SA 3.0 Links to an external site.
Read:
What is the difference between the minimum wage in California compared with the minimum wage in Washington State?
When we say difference, it means subtraction.
To find the answer to the question, we do this: Subtract the lower amount from the higher amount.
Example:
11 - 10 = 1
The difference between the minimum wage in Washington and the minimum wage in California is $1.00. Washington's minimum wage is $1.00 more than the minimum wage in California.
Image Links to an external site. by Steven Spell, CC BY SA 3.0 Links to an external site.
Read:
If the minimum wage in Hawaii is $8.50 per hour, how much is an employee making per day?
To find the answer, we must know how many hours the person works each day. Most people work 8 hours a day.
Next, we multiply the amount of money paid per hour by 8.
8.50 x 8 = 68
A person working 8 hours, paid minimum wage in Hawaii, will make $68 per day.
To find out how much the person makes per week we can multiply the minimum wage by 40 (5 days, 8 hours per day is 40 hours per week).
8.50 x 40 = 340
A person working 8 hours, paid minimum wage in Hawaii, will make $340 per week.