document.write( "Question 784742: Bradley took a 15% pay cut when he switched jobs. If he makes $30,600 per year at his new job, what was his annual salary at his previous job? Please list the steps. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #477372 by KMST(5328) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
$ $\"x\"$ = previous job salary
\n" ); document.write( "$ $\"x-30600\"$ = decrease in salary (pay cut as $ amount)
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\n" ); document.write( "You can look at the calculations two ways:
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\n" ); document.write( "THE SIMPLER WAY (no need to mention algebra; a fifth grader can do it):
\n" ); document.write( "Bradley may have compared the new salary to the old salary (dividing the new salary by the old one) and the result was $\"0.85=85%2F100=%2285+%25%22\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "That would have told him that the % pay cut was
\n" ); document.write( "100% - 85% = 15%
\n" ); document.write( "To reverse that calculation, you would start by
\n" ); document.write( "100% - 15% = 85% and that would tell you that Bradley is now making only 85% of the previous job salary.
\n" ); document.write( "As a fraction, 85% is $\"0.85=85%2F100=%2285+%25%22\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "The new salary is $\"0.85+=85%2F100\"$ of the old one,meaning that it is
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%22%24%22\"$ $\"+0.85%2Ax\"$ $\"%22=%22\"$ $\"%22%24%22\"$ $\"%2230%2C600%22\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Reversing that calculation,
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x=30600%2F0.85\"$ --> $\"x=36000\"$
\n" ); document.write( "(Simple calculators that have a % key, use the number 0.85 when you enter 85%, so I enter 30600 ÷ 85 %, and I get 36000 without even touching the = key).
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT IT:
\n" ); document.write( "When calculating the percent pay cut, Bradley may have divided the $ amount of the pay cut by the old salary and the result was $\"0.15=15%2F100=%2215+%25%22\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28x-30600%29%2Fx=0.15\"$
\n" ); document.write( "In solving that equation, you could multiply both sides of the equal sign times $\"x\"$ and get an equivalent equation (as long as $\"x%3C%3E0\"$ , which is true in this case).
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28x-30600%29%2Fx=0.15\"$ --> $\"x-30600=0.15x\"$ --> $\"x=0.15x%2B3060\"$ --> $\"x-0.15x=30600\"$ --> $\"1%2Ax%2B0.15%2Ax=30600\"$ --> $\"%281-0.15%29%2Ax=30600\"$ --> $\"0.85x=30600%7D%7D--%3E%7B%7B%7B0.85x%2F0.85=30600%2F0.85\"$ --> $\"x=36000\"$
\n" ); document.write( "(I would write that skipping the steps than seem too obvious, but showing enough steps to satisfy the person who's reading it, or the teacher). \n" ); document.write( "

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