PLEASE HELP!!! A pair of skis cost $80 more than a pair of boots, together they sell for $294.25 after a 7% tax rate. what is the equation and the cost of the skis.

Question

anonymous · Answer

jthuga

mathteacher1729 · Answer

Let's break this down piece by piece:

"A pair of skis cost $80 more than a pair of boots."
Let B  = Price of Boots
Let S = Price of Skis
$$S = 80+B$$

"Together they sell for $294.25"
$$B + S = 294.25$$

But S = 80  + B, so re-write:

$$B + (B+80)=294.25$$

Ok, that would be our setup IF... there were no Tax!! :(

So we know that (B + (B+80)) has been marked up by 7%, or in other words, multiplied by 1.07.

The final equation is then this:

$$1.07(B + (B+80))=294.25$$

It says "Take the price of the boots, B, plus the price of the skis (B =80) and take that whole sum, and raise it by 7% (or multiply by 1.07).  All of that is equal to $294.25."

So now we have to solve... From here it's an algebra problem where you solve for B.  Remember though, when you find B you're NOT DONE!  You still have to add $80 to it to find the price of the skis.

Hope this helps!