Final answer:
The question seems to have an inconsistency with the highest hourly wage numbers. Calculations for the total hourly wage are made by multiplying the number of workers by their hourly rate. However, without specifics from the table, we cannot accurately determine how the value stated as the highest hourly wage was calculated.
Step-by-step explanation:
You are asking about determining the highest hourly wage from a table. The value of $17.50 as the highest hourly wage seems to be incorrectly stated since you also mentioned a wage of $24 an hour for widget workers, as indicated in the final column of the table.
To calculate the total cost of labor per hour, you would multiply the number of workers by their hourly wage. For instance, if widget workers receive $10 per hour, and there are 5 workers, the total hourly wage would be 5 workers × $10 per hour = $50. This calculation gives you the cost of producing an output with a given number of workers at that hourly rate.
In scenarios where wages increase due to union demands, the company might invest in more machinery to maintain productivity with fewer workers. For example, if the wage rises to $24 per hour, and fewer hours are required because of increased machinery, then the total cost might be different. But without the specific details of the table, we can only provide a general idea of how the highest hourly wage might be calculated.