Explanation:
Let's break down the information provided and write out the mathematical statement step by step.
The electrician purchased 15 dimmer switches, each costing $20. This can be represented as:
Cost of dimmer switches = 15 * $20
The electrician also received a credit of $8 for each of the two duplex receptacles she returned. The total credit received can be calculated as:
Total credit = 2 * $8
To find the total amount of money she spent, we need to subtract the total credit from the cost of the dimmer switches:
Total amount spent = (Cost of dimmer switches) - (Total credit)
Now, let's calculate the total amount of money she spent:
Cost of dimmer switches = 15 * $20 = $300
Total credit = 2 * $8 = $16
Total amount spent = $300 - $16 = $284
Therefore, the electrician spent a total of $284.