Question: If Julie paid $455.00 for a television and it was already discounted by 35% what was the original price?

Hi Marc,

This is a place where some algebra really helps. First think about what the storekeeper did to reduce the price by 35%. He had the television for sale for a certain price, he multiplied this price by 0.35 to find the reduction, he subtracted the reduction from the original price and he arrived at $455.00. With some algebraic notation you can say this in a much neater way.

Let $P be the original price. Multiply by 0.35 to get the reduction

reduction = 0.35 P

Subtract the reduction for the original price

new price = P - 0.35 P

The new price is $455.00 and hence you get the equation

P - 0.35 P = 455

Solve this equation for P.

Penny