SOLUTION: Mary ate 20% of the cookies that were in her jar the first day. there were 32 remaining at the end of the second day.How many cookies were there in the jar originally?

Algebra ->  Percentage-and-ratio-word-problems -> SOLUTION: Mary ate 20% of the cookies that were in her jar the first day. there were 32 remaining at the end of the second day.How many cookies were there in the jar originally?      Log On


   

Question 1141307: Mary ate 20% of the cookies that were in her jar the first day. there were 32 remaining at the end of the second day.How many cookies were there in the jar originally?
Answer by Velo(3) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Let "c" represent the original amount of cookies.

You can set up your equation as follows:

32+=+%281+-+.20%29c <-- convert 20% to decimal form then subtract from 100% or 1.

32+=+0.8c

Simplify (isolate the variable 'c') by dividing both sides by 0.8

32%2F0.8+=+0.8c%2F0.8

40+=+c

The original amount of cookies is 40.


Verify:

40+cookies+%2A+.20+=+8

40+-+8+=+32 remaining