Final answer:
To find the original rent before a 3% increase that amounted to $37.8, we converted the percentage increase to a decimal and divided the dollar increase by this number, which gave us $1260 as the original rent.
Step-by-step explanation:
If Emmett's rent increased by 3% and the increase was $37.8, we can find the original rent amount by using the formula for percentage increase. The formula is: Increase = (Original Amount) × (Percentage Increase as a Decimal). Given that the Increase is $37.8 and the Percentage Increase is 3%, we need to find the Original Amount.
Firstly, convert the percentage increase to a decimal by dividing by 100: 3% ÷ 100 = 0.03.
Then, rearrange the formula to solve for the Original Amount:
Original Amount = Increase ÷ Percentage Increase as a Decimal
Original Amount = $37.8 ÷ 0.03 = $1260
So, the original rent amount was $1260.