Final answer:
To determine the car's original value before it depreciated by 15%, the current value is divided by 0.85, yielding an original value of approximately $14,500.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question is about determining the original value of a car before it depreciated by 15%. To calculate this, we can set up an equation where the current value of the car is 85% (100% - 15%) of its original value. Let x represent the original value of the car. We can express this situation as 0.85x = $12,325. To find the original value, x, we divide both sides of the equation by 0.85, so x = $12,325 / 0.85.
After performing this calculation, we discover the original value of the car a year ago was approximately $14,500.
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