BTGmoderatorDC wrote:George bought a large electronic item with a 15% off coupon, and paid a total bill. When he got outside, he studied the receipt and realize that he mistakenly had been given double the discount of the coupon, even though there was no double-coupon offer in effect that day. He went back inside and pointed this mistake out to the manager, offering to make the the difference between what he paid and what he should have paid. The manager was so grateful for George's honesty that he allowed George to pay just half that difference, so George paid him $40.50. What was the original price of the item, before any coupons? Assume that there was no tax at all in this scenario.
A) $135
B) $270
C) $405
D) $540
E) $810
We can PLUG IN THE ANSWERS, which represent the original price of the item.
When the correct answer is plugged in, George reimburses the store $40.50.
Since the coupon discount = 15% = 15/100 = 3/20, the original price of the item is almost certainly a multiple of 20.
Of the 5 answer choices, only D is a multiple of 20.
D: 540
Coupon discount = (3/20)(540) = 81.
Since George is accidentally given double the coupon discount, the given discount = 2*81 = 162.
Since George reimburses the store for half the difference between the two discounts, the amount of the reimbursement = (1/2)(162-81) = (1/2)(81) = 40.50.
Success!
The correct answer is
D.
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must be a little more than $480
