2014 AMC 12A Problem 8

Attempt Problem 8 of the 2014 AMC 12A below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2014 AMC 12A solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

8.

A customer who intends to purchase an appliance has three coupons, only one of which may be used:
Coupon 1:1: 10%10\% off the listed price if the listed price is at least $50\$50
Coupon 2:2: $20\$20 off the listed price if the listed price is at least $100\$100
Coupon 3:3: 18%18\% off the amount by which the listed price exceeds $100\$100
For which of the following listed prices will coupon 11 offer a greater price reduction than either coupon 22 or coupon 3?3?
$179.95\$179.95
$199.95\$199.95
$219.95\$219.95
$239.95\$239.95
$259.95\$259.95
Answer: C
Concepts:inequalitypercentage
Small hint:
Let PP be the listed price and write each coupon’s reduction as an expression in PP
Big hint:
Coupon 11 beats coupon 22 when P>200P\gt200 and beats coupon 33 when P<225P\lt225
Solution:
For a price P>100,P\gt100, the reductions are P10,\dfrac{P}{10}, 20,20, and 18100(P−100).\dfrac{18}{100}(P-100).
Coupon 11 beats coupon 22 when P10>20,\dfrac{P}{10}\gt20, that is P>200.P\gt200. Coupon 11 beats coupon 33 when P10>18100(P−100),\dfrac{P}{10}\gt\dfrac{18}{100}(P-100), that is P<225.P\lt225.
The only listed price in (200,225)(200,225) is $219.95.\$219.95.
Thus, the correct answer is C.
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