Hattie Mae Johnson is on the County. She has four children and her husband is now in jail for non-support, as he was unemployed and was not able to give her any money. Her welfare cheque is now $286 per month. Last night she went out with the highest player in town. If she got pregnant, then nine months from now how much more will her welfare cheque be?
(a) $80
(b) $2
(c) $35
(d) $150
(e) $100
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is (a) $80.
Here’s the explanation:
Hattie Mae Johnson is currently receiving a welfare cheque of $286 per month. When determining how much more her welfare cheque will be if she gets pregnant, we need to consider the typical financial benefits available to families with additional children.
Welfare programs, especially those that assist low-income families, are designed to provide financial support based on household needs. These programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or similar state-specific welfare programs, generally provide an increase in the amount of assistance when a family adds a child. The additional amount varies depending on the state and the number of children in the household.
In this case, Hattie Mae has four children, and her husband is incarcerated and unable to contribute financially. If she becomes pregnant, she will be adding one more child to her family, and the welfare program will likely provide an increase to support the additional family member.
The amount by which the welfare cheque would increase depends on the specifics of the program, but in many cases, the increase for an additional child might range from $50 to $100 per month. Based on the provided answer choices, the most plausible amount for the increase is $80, which is a common adjustment in some welfare programs for additional children.
This increase in her welfare cheque would help cover the additional costs of raising another child, such as food, clothing, and medical expenses. The welfare program’s purpose is to alleviate some of the financial burden on families who are already struggling, like Hattie Mae’s, especially when there is no other source of income.
Thus, the increase would likely be $80, making her new welfare cheque $366 per month (286 + 80).