SOLUTION: ​Joe's annual income has been increasing each year by the same dollar amount. The first year his income was ​$19 comma 900​, and the 4th year his income was ​$23 comma 800.

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Misc -> SOLUTION: ​Joe's annual income has been increasing each year by the same dollar amount. The first year his income was ​$19 comma 900​, and the 4th year his income was ​$23 comma 800.      Log On

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Question 1151680: ​Joe's annual income has been increasing each year by the same dollar amount. The first year his income was ​$19 comma 900​, and the 4th year his income was ​$23 comma 800. In which year was his income $ 31 comma 600 question mark
Found 2 solutions by rfer, ikleyn:
Answer by rfer(16322) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
23800-19900=3900
3900/3=1300 per yr increase
31600-19900=11700
11700/1300=9th yr
proof
9*1300=11700
11700+19900=31600

Answer by ikleyn(52930) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

            From the post by  @rfer you may conclude that the answer is  "at the  9-th year".

            But do not hurry --- it would be wrong (!)

            Read my solution below.


You start count that income from the first year:


    a%5B1%5D,  a%5B2%5D, a%5B3%5D, . . . , a%5Bn%5D.


The first term of this sequence is $19900.


It is arithmetic sequence, and its common difference is 1300, as @rfer correctly determined in his post.


Therefore, you can write 


    a%5Bn%5D = 1300 + (n-1)*1300.


You want to find "n" in a way that


    31600 = 1300 + (n-1)*1300.


It gives you


    n - 1 = %2831600-19900%29%2F1300 = 11700%2F1300 = 9.


    Hence,  n = 9+1 = 10.


ANSWER.  "At which year ?"  ----  at the 10-th year.

So,  the correct answer is  "at the  10-th year";  or  9  years  after  the  1-st year.

Solved.

From my post learn that not only calculations,  but the entire conception of the solution and the answer itself
should be presented accurately -- if you want high scores.


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    - The proofs of the formulas for arithmetic progressions
    - Problems on arithmetic progressions
    - Word problems on arithmetic progressions
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The referred lessons are the part of this online textbook under the topic "Arithmetic progressions".


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Free of charge online textbook in ALGEBRA-II
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