Solve Sales Tax, Commission, and Discount Applications: example 6.28

Rikki earned $$87$ commission when she sold a $$1,450$ stove. What rate of commission did she get?

Work it out on paper first. Then open the solution one step at a time, and stop as soon as you can finish on your own.

Your turn

The book's Try It right after this example: same idea, new numbers. Only the answer is given.

Homer received $$1,140$ commission when he sold a car for $$28,500 .$ What rate of commission did he get?

How did it go?

Identify what you are asked to find.	What is the rate of commission?
Choose a variable to represent it.	Let $r =$ the rate of commission.
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it.	The commission is what percent of the sale?
Translate into an equation.
Divide.
Simplify.
Change to percent form.
Check if this answer is reasonable.
Yes. A 10% commission would have been $145. The 6% commission, $87, is a little more than half of that.
Write a complete sentence that answers the question.	The commission was 6% of the price of the stove.

Identify what you are asked to find.	What is the rate of commission?
Choose a variable to represent it.	Let $r =$ the rate of commission.
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it.	The commission is what percent of the sale?
Translate into an equation.
Divide.
Simplify.
Change to percent form.
Check if this answer is reasonable.
Yes. A 10% commission would have been $145. The 6% commission, $87, is a little more than half of that.
Write a complete sentence that answers the question.	The commission was 6% of the price of the stove.