# Math Help - Percents

1. ## Percents

Hi

Can someone please help me with this homework problem, and can u tell me step by step on how to figure it out please.
Here it is:
Sandra earns a salary of $350 per week plus an additional 5% commission on her sales. If her total earnings last week were$500, how much were her sales?

Thanks,

2. Originally Posted by mustangman
Hi

Can someone please help me with this homework problem, and can u tell me step by step on how to figure it out please.
Here it is:
Sandra earns a salary of $350 per week plus an additional 5% commission on her sales. If her total earnings last week were$500, how much were her sales?

Thanks,
Sandra's total earnings were $500, of which$350 was salaried, so she earned $150 in commissions (500-350). Since she receives 5% commission, that means$150 is 5% of her sales. 100% of her sales would be 20 times that, which is $3000. 3. Originally Posted by mustangman Hi Can someone please help me with this homework problem, and can u tell me step by step on how to figure it out please. Here it is: Sandra earns a salary of$350 per week plus an additional 5% commission on her sales. If her total earnings last week were $500, how much were her sales? Thanks, Say that she made sales with a value of n Then we can get an equation: total = base + commission total = 500, base = 350, so commission is 150 From this we can say 150 = 0.05n and multiply by 20 to solve for n 4. Thanks, but i don't understand how to solve ones that have a varable. If i did ur problem right I got the answer$150.

Is there a way u can explain it better 4 me. Thanks

5. Can u explain this better please.

6. Originally Posted by mustangman
Thanks, but i don't understand how to solve ones that have a varable.
If i did ur problem right I got the answer \$150.
How? The total sales is $n,$ not $0.05n.$ You need to solve for $n$ in the equation. Do you know how to solve simple algebraic equations?

The equation $150=0.05n$ can be written as

$150=\frac{5n}{100}$

$\Rightarrow150=\frac n{20}.$

Now, do as e^(i*pi) said and multiply both sides by 20.