If a man earns $1200 after a 20% raise, what was his original salary?

If a man earns $1200 after a 20% raise, what was his original salary?

Correct Answer: 1000

Step 1: Let the original salary be represented by the variable x.
Step 2: A 20% raise means the man earns 20% more than his original salary. This can be expressed as x + 0.2x.
Step 3: Combine the terms: x + 0.2x equals 1.2x.
Step 4: We know that after the raise, the man earns $1200. So we can set up the equation: 1.2x = 1200.
Step 5: To find the original salary (x), divide both sides of the equation by 1.2: x = 1200 / 1.2.
Step 6: Calculate the division: 1200 divided by 1.2 equals 1000.
Step 7: Therefore, the original salary was $1000.

Percentage Increase – Understanding how to calculate the original amount before a percentage increase is applied.
Algebraic Manipulation – Using algebra to solve for an unknown variable in an equation.