Question

Sandra saves 12% of her salary for retirement. This year her was $3,000 more than in the previous year, and she saved $4.20. What was her salary in the previous year?

Answer 1

First, we want to figure out what her salary was this year. We know that `$4.20` is `12%` of her salary and we can show it with:

`12%*x=$4.20`, where `x` represents this year's salary

Solve for `x`
`.12x=$4.20`

`x=$35`, which is her salary for this year, and we just have to subtract the `$3,000`

With this, we know that you stated the problem incorrectly, but this method of solving can still be used with any similar problem.

Answer 2

See below

Explanation:

Let's say that was in fact `4.20` dollars, and this year her salary was `3000` dollars more than her last year's salary:

Let `x` be last year's salary

Let `x+3000` be this year's salary:

So:
`0.12(x+3000)= 4.20`

`0.12x+360= 4.20`

`0.12x= -355.8`

`x=-2965` dollars

Last year she didn't earn anything and spent 2965 dollars :)