Calculating earnings is another one of those Medium mysteries I give up trying to figure out, like the illusive algorithm. I thought I had it all figured out, when it seemed that roughly 1000 views equaled $20 - which is just about right, but then I had stories that crushed that theory. Some made more than I estimated, and some made less, so I gave up on trying to understand it. I stopped caring. Now, I just take the money and run :-)