Final answer:
To find the original price of the phone on a 2% sale, convert the percentage to a decimal and use the formula Original Price = Reduced Price / (1 - Sale Percentage as Decimal), then divide $3.62 by 0.98.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the original price of the phone, we need to understand that a 2% sale means the price decreased by 2%. If the price reduced by $3.62, this reduction represents the 2% decrease. To calculate the original price, we use the formula:
Original Price = Reduced Price / (1 - Sale Percentage as Decimal)
Since we know the sale percentage, we should first convert it to a decimal, which is 0.02 for 2%. Then, we can keep the reduced price as an unknown and set up the equation:
Original Price = ($3.62) / (1 - 0.02)
Next, subtract 0.02 from 1 to get 0.98. Now, divide $3.62 by 0.98 to find the original price.
Original Price = $3.62 / 0.98
Perform the division to find the original price of the phone.