Calculating Jim Goff's Hourly Wage

  • Thread starter abhikesbhat
  • Start date
In summary, the conversation discusses the lyrics of an old poem where workers known as "terriers" are drilling on a rock, and one worker named Jim Goff accidentally goes a mile up in the air due to a premature blast. The conversation then shifts to calculating Goff's hourly wage using physics equations and assumptions. After some calculations, it is determined that Goff's hourly wage would be approximately $99.34, which seems unlikely for the time period of the poem.
  • #1
abhikesbhat
51
0

Homework Statement


Every morning at seven o' clock
There's twenty terriers drilling on the rock.
The boss comes around and he says, "Keep still
And bear down heavy on the cast-iron drill

And drill, ye terriers, drill." And drill, ye terriers, drill.
It's work all day for sugar in your tea
Down beyond the railway. And drill, ye terriers, drill.

The foreman's name was John McAnn.
By God, he was a blamed mean man.
One day a premature blast went off
And a mile in the air when big Jim Goff. And drill...

Then when next payday came around
Jim Goff a dollar short was found.
When he asked what for, came this reply:
"You were docked for the time you were up in the sky." And drill...

What was Goff's hourly wage? State the assumptions you make in computing it.


Homework Equations


y=viT+1/2aT^2


The Attempt at a Solution


Ok first I converted that mile he went up to meters. So I got 1609 meters. Ok so I solved for vi by vf^2=vi^2+2ax. vi^2=19.6(1609)
vi=177.58

After I got that solved for the time he was up in the air. I got y=177.58T-4.9T^2 and then I set y=0. Solving for T I get T=36.24 seconds. I need to make 36.24 seconds a fraction of an hour so I get 36.24/3600=.0100666

To find his hourly rate I use my beastly math skills and letting x=total r=rate and t=time
x=rt x-1=r(t-.0100666) solving for r I get r=99.34. That's 99.34 dollars an hour! This looks like an old poem so how could this guy be making 99.34 dollars an hour when people today are making like 25 dollars an hour with a respectable job! Where did I go wrong or am I thinking too hard? Thanks for the help!
 
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  • #2
Looks OK.
 
  • #3
Oh so diggers made about a 100 dollars back in the day.
 
  • #4
abhikesbhat said:
Oh so diggers made about a 100 dollars back in the day.

Not likely. But according to the physics of the poem ... perhaps a little poetic license was involved?
 

1. How do you calculate Jim Goff's hourly wage?

To calculate Jim Goff's hourly wage, you need to divide his total salary by the number of hours he works in a week. This will give you his hourly wage.

2. What is the formula for calculating hourly wage?

The formula for calculating hourly wage is total salary divided by the number of hours worked. This will give you the amount that Jim Goff earns per hour.

3. Can overtime hours affect Jim Goff's hourly wage?

Yes, if Jim Goff works overtime hours, his hourly wage will be affected. Overtime pay is typically 1.5 times the regular hourly wage, so his hourly wage will increase for any overtime hours worked.

4. Is Jim Goff's hourly wage affected by taxes and deductions?

Yes, Jim Goff's hourly wage will be affected by taxes and deductions. These will be automatically taken out of his paycheck, reducing his net pay per hour.

5. How can I use Jim Goff's hourly wage to compare to other job offers?

You can use Jim Goff's hourly wage as a benchmark to compare to other job offers. This will give you an idea of how much he earns per hour and help you make an informed decision about any potential job offers.

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