Problema Solution

Aura currently pays $800 each month to rent her apartment. Due to inflation, however, her rent is increasing by $50 each year. Meanwhile, her monthly take-home pay is $1500 and she predicts that her monthly pay will only increase by $15 each year. Assuming that her rent and take-home pay will continue to grow linearly, will her rent ever equal her take-home pay? If so, when? And how much will rent be that year?

Answer provided by our tutors

Let

x =  years

Rent = 800 + 50x

Pay = 1500 + 15x

Rent and pay are equal means:

800 + 50x = 1500 + 15x

........

click here to see the equation solved for x

........

x = 20 years

The pay will equal the rent in 20 years. To find out how much that is, put 20 in for x in one of the equations for rent or pay:

Rent = 800 + 50 x = 800 + 50*20 = $1800

The pay will be $1,800 that year.