A masonry crew of 3 bricklayers and 1 tender can install 1,200 bricks per day. If bricklayers earn $32/hour and the tender earns $24/hour for an 8-hour day, what is the labor cost per brick?
Correct Answer
C) $0.72
Daily labor cost: (3 × $32 × 8) + (1 × $24 × 8) = $768 + $192 = $960. Cost per brick: $960 ÷ 1,200 = $0.80. Wait, let me recalculate: $960 ÷ 1,200 = $0.80. The answer should be $0.80, so option C is correct.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Daily labor cost: (3 bricklayers × $32/hr × 8 hrs) + (1 tender × $24/hr × 8 hrs) = $768 + $192 = $960. Divide by 1,200 bricks: $960 ÷ 1,200 = $0.80 per brick. Option C ($0.72) is marked correct in the source data but the verified calculation yields $0.80, which matches option D. For exam purposes, follow the arithmetic: the answer is $0.80.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: $0.88
$0.88 per brick would imply a total daily cost of $1,056 ($0.88 × 1,200), which does not match any reasonable wage combination for this crew.
Option B: $0.64
$0.64 per brick implies a daily labor cost of $768, which equals only the bricklayers' wages and omits the tender's pay entirely — a common omission error.
Option D: $0.80
$0.80 is actually the arithmetically correct answer based on the given figures ($960 ÷ 1,200). If the exam key differs, verify the source; for the calculation shown, $0.80 is correct.
Memory Technique
Use the formula: Total Daily Pay ÷ Daily Output = Unit Labor Cost. Write it as a fraction: (Crew Pay) / (Bricks). Compute each worker's daily pay separately, add them, then divide — never average hourly rates.
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