Skye
secondary (10-12))

A man sells a refrigerator for $171, gaining on the sale as many percent (based on the cost) as the refrigerator cost, C, in dollars. Find C.

The selling price is 100% of the original cost plus P ("profit") percent of the original
cost. That means $171 = C ( (100 + P)/100 ). But we're told the percent profit
is the same as the cost in dollars (so P = C). That means $171 = C ( 100 + C) / 100.

Does this help you?
Stephen La Rocque