document.write( "Question 587964: Please help!!
\n" ); document.write( "Due to inflation the price of an item was increased twice, after the second increase the price became 6 times the original. By what percent was the second increase if the first increase was 50%?
\n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #374336 by KMST(5328)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
LOT OF EXPLANATIONS (optional reading):
\n" ); document.write( "When you increase the price by 50%, you add to the previous price 50% of the previous price. That is 0.50 or \"50%2F100\" times the previous price.
\n" ); document.write( "So, if you started with a price P, after a 50% increase, the new price is
\n" ); document.write( "\"P%2B%2850%2F100%29%2AP\" or \"P%2B0.5P=P%281%2B0.5%29=1.5P\".
\n" ); document.write( "The idea, to calculate the new price after a certain percent increase or decrease is:
\n" ); document.write( "1) express that percent as a decimal (0.5 for 50%, 0.27 for 27%, 0.045 for 4.5%, and so on), using negative numbers for price decreases.
\n" ); document.write( "2) add 1 to that, to get your increase factor
\n" ); document.write( "3) multiply the old price times that factor
\n" ); document.write( "Example, a $60 dress, on sale at 12% off, costs
\n" ); document.write( "$\"60%2A%281-0.12%29\"=$\"60%2A0.88\"=$\"52.80\"
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "THE SOLUTION:
\n" ); document.write( "From an original price, P, an increase of 50% (0.5 as a decimal) brings the price up to
\n" ); document.write( "\"P%2B0.5P=P%281%2B0.5%29=1.5P\".
\n" ); document.write( "A new increase of x (expressed as a decimal) brings the price up to
\n" ); document.write( "\"1.5P%281%2Bx%29\"
\n" ); document.write( "If that equals 6 times the original price,
\n" ); document.write( "\"1.5P%281%2Bx%29=6P\"
\n" ); document.write( "We divide both sides by P, eliminating P, and then solve for x
\n" ); document.write( "\"1.5P%281%2Bx%29=6P\" --> \"1.5%281%2Bx%29=6\" --> \"1.5%2B1.5x=6\" --> \"1.5%2B1.5x-1.5=6-1.5\" --> \"1.5x=4.5\" --> \"1.5x%2F1.5=4.5%2F1.5\" --> \"x=3\"
\n" ); document.write( "A decimal of 3.00 mean an increase of 300%.
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "COMMENTS (more optional reading):
\n" ); document.write( "That is quite an increase.
\n" ); document.write( "If the original price was $200, the first 50% increase would have brought the price to $300.
\n" ); document.write( "Then the second (300%) increase would have quadrupled the previous $300 price to $1200, 6 times the original price.
\n" ); document.write( "That's hyperinflation. Ask anyone from Buenos Aires about it.
\n" ); document.write( "(There are other places that have had bad hyperinflation, but none that I visited).
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );