Question

A shop sells 300 bikes. This was a 50% increase on last year. How many were sold last year?

Answer 1

Answer:

Assuming the number of bikes sold last year is X

Since we were told that there was a 50% increase this year when compared to last year's sale. It follows that this year's sale is X +50% of X (which has already been given to be 300).

Hence, we form the equation, X + (50/100)X = 300

X + (5X/10) = 300

Making 10 the common denominator

(10X+5X)/10 = 300

15X/10 = 300

Multiply both sides by 10 or cross-multiply

15X = 300 * 10

Divide both sides by 15 ( to make X the subject of the formula)

X = (300 * 10)/15

X = 200

Hence, the number of sales made at the shop last year was 200 bikes.