Final answer:
The cost of the car 3 years ago was calculated by dividing the current price of $24,000 by 1.30, resulting in an original price of approximately $18,462 after rounding to the nearest dollar.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks to find the original cost of a car 3 years ago given that a new car now costs $24,000, which is 130% of the cost of the car 3 years ago.
To find the cost of the car 3 years ago, we set up a simple equation where 130% of the original price (let's call it x) is equal to $24,000.
To express 130% as a decimal, we convert it to 1.30. Hence, the equation is 1.30x = $24,000. Solving for x gives us the original cost of the car: x = $24,000 / 1.30.
When you calculate this, x equals approximately $18,461.54. After rounding to the nearest dollar, the original cost of the car 3 years ago was $18,462.