presentage

Last season, a pair of jeans cost $55.99. This season, the price of all jeans increased by 15 percent. Later in the season, the jeans were put on sale for 15 percent off.

1.How much did the jeans cost at the beginning of the season?
2.What was their sales price?
3.Were you surprised by the sale price of the jeans? Why or why not?

The list price of an iPod speaker is $45.50. It is on sale for 20% off, and there is an 8% sales tax. The store calculates the sales tax on the $45.50, and then takes 20% off the total. Jonathan wants them to take the discount first and then calculate the tax, reasoning that the tax will then be calculated based on the lower price and he will pay less.

1.Is Jonathan correct? How much will he pay each way?

Without doing any further calculation, what do you think the jeans in problem #1 would cost if they had gone on sale by 15% first and then had their price increased by 15%? Why?

Submit a written solution to this problem. Be sure to answer all parts of the problem, and to state your conclusions clearly and explicitly. write your solution yourself, using your own words to explain your reasoning. Explaining your reasoning in clear, mathematically-accurate language, using complete sentences and proper grammar, are critical to your write up.

The report should be no more than 3 pages. Ideally, your solution will be typed in MS-Word, although you may hand-write mathematical expressions (in dark pen) if need be, scan your paper, check that all hand-written portions are legible.