Question

Maya bought a desktop computer and a laptop computer. Before finance charges, the laptop cost $400 less than the desktop. She paid for the computers using two different financing plans. For the desktop the interest rate was 7.5 % per year and for the laptop it was 8% per year. The total finance charges for one year were $371. How much did each computer cost before finance charges? Desktop: $Laptop: $

Answer 1

1. Let D be price of desktop

let L be price of a Laptop

• we know that the laptop cost $400 less than the desktop

L = D -400

• for desktop D, Maya paid interest of 7.5% per year: 7.5/100 = 0.075

,

• For Laptop L , Maya paid interest of 8 % per year : 8/100 = 0.08

,

• We know that total charges for finance was $ 371,

therefore :

0.075 D + 0.08L = 371, (remember from the above , L = D-400 , lets substitute this value for L)

0.075 D + 0.08( D-400) = 371

0.075D + 0.08 D -32 = 371

0.155D = (371 +32)=403

D = 403/0.0155

D = $26 000

and L = D-400

= 26000-400

= $25600

• This means that Desktopcost $26000 and Laptop cost $25600,