Final answer:
Sarah needs to make approximately $29,800 in sales to earn an additional $1,041.67 as commission at a rate of 3.5%, which added to her monthly salary of about $3,958.33 would result in a total of $5,000 for the month.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how much in sales Sarah needs to make to earn a total of $5,000 this month, we must first calculate her monthly salary, then use the commission rate to find the necessary sales.
Assuming Sarah's annual salary of $47,500 is distributed evenly, her monthly salary is:
Monthly salary = Annual salary / 12 months = $47,500 / 12 ≈ $3,958.33
To make a total of $5,000 this month, Sarah needs to earn the difference through commission:
Required commission earnings = Total desired monthly earnings - Monthly salary = $5,000 - $3,958.33 ≈ $1,041.67
Now, using the commission rate of 3.5%, we'll find the sales needed:
Sales needed = Required commission earnings / Commission rate = $1,041.67 / 0.035 ≈ $29,761.43
When rounded to the nearest $100, Sarah needs approximately $29,800 in sales. Therefore, the correct answer is A. $29,800.