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Question:


pinamen
Student
High School - 12th Grade

Miriam works at an art gallery. She gets a base salary of $250 per week, plus a 20% commission. Last week, her pay was 975.00. How much did she sell?

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Posted by pinamen on Thursday December 4, 2008 at 8:11 AM and tagged with answer me, math.

Answers:


  1. frizzyperm Teacher
    College - Senior

    OK so every week she gets a Basic of $250, plus Commision.

    Last week she made a Grand Total of $975.

    So last week her Commission was Grand Total minus Basic

    975 - 250 = 725

    So her Commision was $725.

    Her Commisson is 20% of what she sells.

    So 725 is 20% of her sales total.

    20% is a fifth.

    So 725 is a fifth of her total.

    So 725 X 5 = Sales Total

    Sales Total = ?

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    Posted by frizzyperm on Thursday December 4, 2008 at 8:36 AM

  2. mcetner
    mcetner Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Translate the problem into the commission.  You know that

    salary + commission = pay

    250 + 20% of sales = 975

    Since you are looking for sales, let that be x.  20% is 0.20.  "Of" means times.

    250 + 0.20x = 975

    Then solve the equation to find sales. 

    250 + 0.20x = 975

    -250            -250

            0.20x = 725

    Divide by 0.20

      x = 3625

    So she sold $3625 worth.

        

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    Posted by mcetner on Sunday December 7, 2008 at 5:44 AM