Final answer:
Last year, the convention center manager spent7,115 on tables and chairs, after rounding to the nearest dollar. This amount is calculated by dividing this year's total spending of 7,400 by 1.04 since this year's total was 4% more.
Step-by-step explanation:
The convention center manager spent 3,450 for tables and 3,950 for chairs this year. The total amount spent this year is the sum of these two amounts, which is3,450 + 3,950 = 7,400. This total is mentioned as being 4% more than what was spent last year for tables and chairs combined. To find last year's spending, we can set up the equation:
1.04 × (amount spent last year) = 7,400
Dividing both sides by 1.04 gives:
Amount spent last year = 7,400 / 1.04
Amount spent last year = 7,115.38, which we round to the nearest dollar to get:
Amount spent last year = 7,115