Final answer:
The original price of Olivia's plane ticket before the 5% discount was calculated using a simple equation, resulting in $260.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the original price of Olivia's ticket before the 5% discount, we set up an equation where 95% of the original price equals $246.50. Let P represent the original price of the ticket. Since a 5% discount was applied, Olivia paid only 95% of the original price, which we express as 0.95P.
The equation is:
0.95P = $246.50
To find the value of P, we divide both sides by 0.95:
P = $246.50 / 0.95
After doing the calculation, we find the original price of the ticket.
Olivia's ticket originally cost $260 before the 5% discount was applied.