Question

Mabel bought some notepads for $56. If she was given a discount of 30%, she would be able to buy 40 notepads more. What was the original price of each notepad?

Answer 1

I don't quite understand. When she bought the notepads at $56, was the 30% discount already applied?

Answer 2

I have a feeling James meant to say:
"Mabel bought some notepads for $56. If she <b>had been given</b> a discount of 30% , she would be able to buy 40 notepads more.
Let the original price be x
Number of notepads bought when paying $56 = 56/x
discounted price = .7x
Number of notepads bought at discounted price = 56/(.7x)
56/.7x - 56/x = 40
multiply each term by .7x
56 - 39.2 = 28x
x = .60

the original cost of a notebook was 60 cents.


check: at original price she bought 56/.60 = 93.333..
discounted price = .7(.60) = .42
number bought at .42 = 56/.42 = 133.333 , which is 40 more

mathematically, it checks out, but in reality, how could she have bought
93 1/3 notebooks ?
Poorly thought out question.