Question 540794: Hi I am having trouble doing word problems. Here are the directions: Solve using the five-step problem-solving process. Show all steps necessary to arrive at your solution. Here is the question:
A woman earns 15% more than her husband. Together they make $69,875 per year. Find both salaries.
Answer by jpg7n16(66)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Start by turning the words into equations. "A woman earns 15% more than her husband." What does that mean in numbers? It means she makes 115% of what he does.
Part 2 of the problem. "Together they make $69,875." Stated another way, when you add his and her salary together, it equals 69,875. How can you turn that into an equation?
Then you need to solve for either the wife's or husband's salary, and use that answer to figure out what the other made. We do this by substituting 1 equation into the other. Since we already know what W equals, let's plug it in and see what happens:
So we know he makes $32,500 per year. 1 down, 1 to go. Now just pick a formula and subsitute in $32,500 for H. It doesn't matter which one you pick, you'll get the same answer.
or using the other one
Either way, you now have the two salaries. He makes $32,500 and she makes $37,375.
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