To determine the cost of shipping a 28-pound parcel by ground delivery, you need to apply three different per-pound rates: $1.50 for the first pound, $0.40 per pound for the next 9 pounds (up to 10 pounds total), and $0.25 per pound for each additional pound beyond 10 pounds. Here's the correct calculation: $1.50 for the first pound, ($0.40 × 9) for the next 9 pounds, and ($0.25 × 18) for the remaining 18 pounds. This gives us $1.50 + $3.60 + $4.50 = $9.60. Therefore, the correct answer is $9.75.