Final answer:
To find the original value before a 15 percent increase, divide the final value of $73 by 1.15, which gives an original value of $63.48.
Step-by-step explanation:
We need to find the original dollar value before a 15 percent price increase made it $73. To do this, we can set up the equation where the original value is represented by 'x', and the increase is represented by multiplying x by 1 + 0.15 (which accounts for the 15 percent increase).
The equation is:
Original Value x (1 + 0.15) = $73
To find the original value ('x'), we divide $73 by 1.15:
x = $73 / 1.15
Calculating this gives us:
x = $63.48
So, the original value of the item was $63.48.