Final answer:
The old salary of the sales clerk before the 9% raise was $31,976.85. This was calculated by dividing the new salary by 1.09 since the new salary represents 109% of the old salary.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the old salary of the sales clerk before the 9% raise, we first need to recognize that the new salary represents 109% of the old salary. This is because the old salary (100%) plus the 9% increase makes 109%. So the new salary of $34,859.77 is 109% of the old salary. To find the original salary, we need to use the following formula:
Old Salary = New Salary / (1 + Percentage Raise)
In this case:
- Old Salary = $34,859.77 / 1.09
- Old Salary = $31,976.85 (rounded to two decimal places)
Therefore, the clerk's old salary was $31,976.85.