The United States Mint reported at the end of 2006 that the unit cost of producing and distributing a penny was 1.21 c. What percent of the value of a penny is this cost? What can you conclude about the cost of making pennies?

Question

The United States Mint reported at the end of 2006 that the unit cost of producing and distributing a penny was 1.21 c. What percent of the value of a penny is this cost? What can you conclude about the cost of making pennies?
• How can a model help you to visualize the problem?
• How can you use a proportion or the percent proportion to solve the problem?

Damon · Answer

(1.21/1.00)100 = 121 % It costs more to make it than it is worth.