All of the Christmas trees are fifty-five percent off.

Who is asking: Teacher
Level: Middle

Help,
I can not remember how to do this problem on percents. The question is - All of the Christmas trees are fifty-five percent off. Madison bought a tree and paid $103.50. Assuming no tax, what was the original price of the tree? How do I solve? I know the answer and how to get it from the total, but cannot figure out how to get it the way the question is asked. Please help me.

Hi,

Since the trees are 55% off, the price now is 100% - 55% = 45% of the original price. Thus you know that

45% of the original price is $103.50 This is an equation! "Of" is multiplication, "the original price" is what you don't know (call it ?), "is", the verb, is equality, and 45% is fourty-five per one-hundred. Thus this equation can be written

( ⁴⁵/₁₀₀) x ? = $103.50 Hence

? = ^{100 x $103.50}/₄₅ = $230.

I hope this helps,
Penny Go to Math Central