how much earnings did she make last year

Question

The cost of living last year went up 14
?%.
?Fortunately, Alice Swanson got a 14
?%
raise in her salary from last year. This year she is earning ?$22 comma 290
.
How much did she make last? year?

Answer 1

The cost of living increase is called TMI (too much information).  The problem doesn't use it.

 

Very simply put, the problem is:  "Salary x is increased by 14% to be $22,290.  What is x?"

 

Re-word:

  "Salary x is increased by 14% to be $22,290"     means

             x      +           (14/100)x  =   22,290     

                      [note: we can write 14% or 14/100 or 0.14 as needed)

       (114/100)x = 22290             [associate principal]

           x = $19,552.63        [multiply both sides by 100/114]

 

[Note: this is approximate because 14% was likely rounded to a whole percent.]