Question

Sharon wants to switch from cable to satellite TV. She calls Great Vista Satellite to get a quote. After looking at her cable bill, the salesperson explains that they can provide the same 300 channels Sharon has for $0.20 less per channel. If she switches, her monthly satellite bill will come to $180.

Answer 1

If Sharon has 300 channels with her cable service, then her monthly cost is calculated as follows:

300 channels × $0.20 per channel = $60

This means that Sharon's current cable bill is $60 per month. If she switches to Great Vista Satellite, her monthly cost will be $180, which is $120 more than her current bill. This increase in cost can be represented by the equation:

$120 = 300 channels × $0.20 per channel × m

where "m" is the number of months Sharon has to subscribe to the satellite service to break even.

Simplifying the equation, we get:

m = $120 ÷ ($0.20 × 300 channels) = 2

Therefore, Sharon will have to subscribe to the satellite service for 2 months to break even. After that, she will start saving $0.20 per channel per month compared to her cable service.