A company made $4 million in the second quarter.

Question

A company made $4 million in the second quarter. This is 1/3 more then in the first quarter and 4/5 of what it made in the third quarter. How much did the company make in the three quarters combined?

Answer 1

If the company made $4 million in the 2nd quarter, then we know that (4/3)x = 4 million, where x = the amount made in the 1st quarter.  It's (4/3)x because the second quarter is 1/3 over what it made in the first quarter.  Solving for x gives

(4 million)*(3/4) = $3 million.

 

To find what it made in the 3rd quarter, set up the same type of equation (4/5)y = $4 million, where y = amount made in the 3rd quarter.  To solve for y:

($4 million)*(5/4) = $5 million.

 

In the 3 quarters, the company made: $3 million + $4 million + $5 million = $12 million