document.write( "Question 539543: Penny’s salary this year is $29,120. This is 4% more than her salary last year. What did she earn last year? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #353698 by jpg7n16(66) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The question's asking for what the previous year's salary is, so we'll make that our \"X.\" Essentially, all we know is that (last year's salary) + 4% of (last year's salary) is $29,120. To make that into an equation we can solve, substitute \"X\" for \"last year's salary\":
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%2B.04x=29120\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Add your x's together
\n" ); document.write( " $\"1.04x=29120\"$
\n" ); document.write( "and solve for x
\n" ); document.write( " $\"1.04x%2F1.04=29120%2F1.04\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x=29120%2F1.04=28000\"$
\n" ); document.write( "So last year, Penny made $28,000. \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );