Huong wants to buy a bicycle that costs $396. She is about to start a new job and decides to put 40 percent of her earnings aside to save for the bicycle. Huong wonders what her total earnings will have to be for her to save $396.

Huong wants to know: 40 percent of what number equals $396? Write an equation that translates her question into mathematical form.
Solve the equation. How much will Huong have to earn so that her savings will equal $396?
Huong will make $90 a week. If she saves 40 percent of $90 each week, how many weeks will it take for her to save $396? Write an equation that translates her question into mathematical form.
Solve the equation. How many weeks will it take Huong to save $396 by putting aside 40 percent of her weekly salary of $90?

1 answer

1. Let x be the total earnings that Huong needs to make in order to save $396. The equation to represent the situation would be:
0.40x = $396

2. To solve for x, we divide both sides by 0.40:
x = $396 / 0.40
x = $990

Huong will have to earn $990 in total for her savings to equal $396.

3. Let w be the number of weeks it will take for Huong to save $396 by putting aside 40 percent of her weekly salary of $90. The equation to represent the situation would be:
0.40($90)w = $396

4. To solve for w, we first calculate 40 percent of $90:
0.40($90) = $36

Substitute this into the equation:
$36w = $396

Divide both sides by $36:
w = $396 / $36
w = 11

Huong will have to work for 11 weeks to save $396 by putting aside 40 percent of her weekly salary of $90.