Question

A customer who intends to purchase an appliance has three coupons, only one of which may be used:

Coupon $1:$ $10\%$ off the listed price if the listed price is at least $\$50$

Coupon $2:$ $\$ 20$ off the listed price if the listed price is at least $\$100$

Coupon $3:$ $18\%$ off the amount by which the listed price exceeds $\$100$

For which of the following listed prices will coupon $1$ offer a greater price reduction than either coupon $2$ or coupon $3?$

$\$ 179.95$

$\$ 199.95$

$\$ 219.95$

$\$ 239.95$

$\$ 259.95$

Let us analyze what these coupons do to an arbitrary price, $x.$

Coupon $1$ changes this price to $.9x.$ Coupon $2$ changes the price to $x - 20.$ Coupon $3$ changes the price to $x - .18(x - 100) = .82x + 18.$

We want $.9x \lt x - 20$ and $.9x \lt .82x + 18.$ Solving both gives us $200 \lt x \lt 225.$

The only answer choice that works is $\$ 219.95.$

Thus, C is the correct answer.