towels

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sal2
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Topic: towels

Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:10 pm

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A store currently charges the same price for each towel that it sells. If the current price of each towel were increased $1, 10 fewer towels could be bought for $120. What is the current price of each towel?

$1
$2
$3
$4
$12

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truplayer256
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Thu Dec 31, 2009 4:47 pm

Let's say that the store charges x dollars for each towel that it sells. When the store sells a total of y towels, it makes 120 dollars. xy=120 We're told that if the price of each towel increase by $1, then 10 fewer towels could be bought for 120 dollars. (x+1)(y-10)=120 120-10x+y-10=120 y-10x=10 y=10(x)+10 (x)(10x+10)=120 x=3

sal2
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Thu Dec 31, 2009 7:31 pm

How do we know that xy=120? We only know that (x+1)(y-10)=120.

truplayer256
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Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:03 pm

Quote: How do we know that xy=120? We only know that (x+1)(y-10)=120. "If the current price of each towel were increased $1, 10 fewer towels could be bought for $120.." It is in this sentence that this problem specifies what xy must equal.