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Question 283803:  Good day. I need some help on this one problem, and I'd be terribly appreciative if anyone would bother to check it out. Here goes:
 
A man insured a building for $10,000 at an annual rate of 1-1/2%. He equipped the building with automatic sprinklers at a cost of $1,250. The fire insurance company then reduced the rate on his property to 1/4% per year. In how many years would the savings on the premiums pay for the sprinklers?
 
Thank you very much and more power! 
 Answer by Theo(13342)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! man insures building for $10,000 at annual rate of 1 and 1/2 percent per year.
 
 
That's 1.5% divided by 100% = a rate of .015 per year.
 
 
This means he would be paying .015*10000 = 150 per year.
 
 
He pays $1250 for a sprinkler.
 
 
Insurance company reduces the rate on his property to 1/4% per year.
 
 
That's .25% divided by 100% = a rate of .0025 per year.
 
 
This means he would be paying .0025*10000 = 25 per year.
 
 
The difference in what he would be paying per year would be 150 - 25 = 125 a year.
 
 
In other words, he would be saving 125 per year on the insurance rates he is paying because he bought the sprinkler.
 
 
1250 / 125 = 10.
 
 
He will make his money back in 10 years.
 
 
 
 
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