Answer:
a) $2125
b) $2000
Explanation:
In this problem, we are asked to solve for the manufacturing price of different printers if the printer company sells their printers at a price that makes them 25% profit, assuming there are no extra expenses.
We can solve this type of problem by manipulating ratios, like for example:
manufacturing price : sale price
100 : 125
This ratio represents the the sale price being 25% more than the manufacturing price.
a) We can equate the above ratio to the ratio of the manufacturing price (in this problem, $1700) to the sale price of the printer (represented by x).
100 : 125 = 1700 : x
This can be solved for x when the ratios are represented as fractions.

↓ simplify the fraction on the left side

↓ cross multiply

↓ divide both sides by 4

So, the price that the customer would pay for a printer that the company bought for $1700 is $2125.
b) We can solve in the same way that we did for section a.
However, this time, the variable (y) represents the manufacturing price, NOT the sale price.
100 : 125 = y : 2500
↓ rewrite with fractions

↓ simplify the fraction on the left side

↓ cross multiply

↓ divide both sides by 5

So, the price that the company would pay for a printer that a customer buys for $2500 is $2000.