Question

Janine has job offers at two companies. One company offers a starting salary of $28,000 with a raise of $3000 each year. The other company offers a starting salary of $36,000 with a raise of $2000 each year. After how many years would Janine’s salary be the same with both companies?

Answer 1

8 years

Explanation:

The first company's offer is $8000 lower, but the raises are $1000 higher each year. It will take 8000/1000 = 8 years for the salaries to be the same.

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If you like, you can write an equation that will tell you the same thing.

28000 +3000y = 36000 +2000y

Subtract 28000+2000y from both sides:

3000y -2000y = 36000 -28000

1000y = 8000

y = 8000/1000 = 8