Charlotte has two job offers as a car sales person. The first job will pay her $600 a month plus 2% on the price of her car sales. The second job will pay $1000 a month plus 1% on the price of her sales. How much must she sell each month to make the same income from the two jobs?
A. $20,000
B. $30,000
C. $40,000
D. $50,000

Question

Charlotte has two job offers as a car sales person. The first job will pay her $600 a month plus 2% on the price of her car sales. The second job will pay $1000 a month plus 1% on the price of her sales. How much must she sell each month to make the same income from the two jobs?
	A.	$20,000
	B.	$30,000
	C.	$40,000
	D.	$50,000

hero · Answer

Proper Solution: 

If we Let 
j1 = 1st job pay
j2 = 2nd job pay

Then: 
j1 = 600 + .02x
j2 = 1000 + .01x

The question asks, at what income will the 1st job pay equal the 2nd job pay. In other words, when will j1 = j2 ? 

To find this set the expressions for j1 and j2 equal to each other, then solve for x as follows: 

j1 = j2
600 + .02x = 1000 + .01x
.02x - .01x = 1000 - 600
.01x = 400
x = 400/.01
x = 40,000

hero · Answer

Actually, the way that they ask the question is a bit misleading and it shouldn't have been asked that way. I can see how you were confused about it.

anonymous · Answer

The key is equate the two jobs:
$600 + 2% S   =  $ 1,000 + 1% S