SOLUTION: A pair of shoes is on sale for 30% off the original price. If the sale price is $45.50, what is the original price? The student claims that she must compute 30% of $45.50 and then

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Question 198855: A pair of shoes is on sale for 30% off the original price. If the sale price is $45.50, what is the original price? The student claims that she must compute 30% of $45.50 and then add the result to $45.50 to find the original price. Is the student correct?

Answer by jim_thompson5910(21667) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Unfortunately, she is incorrect. The 30% discount applies to the original price and not the sale price.


Let x=original price


Since "A pair of shoes is on sale for 30% off the original price" and "the sale price is $45.50", this means that x-0.3x=45.5


x-0.3x=45.5 Start with the given equation.


0.7x=45.5 Combine like terms.


x=45.5%2F0.7 Divide both sides by 0.7.


x=65 Divide.


So the original price is $65.


If we add 30% of $45.50 to $45.50, we get: 0.3(45.50)+45.50=59.15 which is NOT correct.