Math 141, Sem. I, 1998-99 (R.A. Brualdi)
Handout 4 (September 14, 1998)
Topic:More on percentages, units
      Written Assignment, Due in Class on Friday, September 18.

1.(a) If taxes are cut 7% one year, and then 10% in each of the next two
years, verify that the overall reduction is about 24.67%. 

(b) If the President insists on an overall 30% cut in tax rates over a three
year period, and Congress insists that taxes be cut 7% the first year and 10%
the second year, how much must taxes be cut the third year to satisfy both the
President and Congress? 

2. NBC's cost to buy one episode of ER in the 1998-99 season is estimated to
be about $13 million. ER occupies a one hour time prime time-slot

(a) Suppose NBC's charge for a 30 second commercial in ER's time slot is
$550,000. What percent of the hour must be devoted to commercials if NBC is to
break-even (ignoring all other costs)? 

(b) Assuming the percent above is maintained, what should NBC charge for a 30
second commercial if it wants to make a profit of $0.5 million on each episode
of ER? 

3. According to the newspaper, 1 US$ = 1.8 DM (DM stands for Deutschmarks).
Also 1 US$ = 1.45 Can$ (Can$ stands for Canadian dollars), and 1 US$ = 1750
(Italian) Lira. [All these rates are approximate and change weekly.]

(a) Convert to US$'s: 750 Can$, 500 DM.

(b) Convert to DM's: 1000 Can$.

(c) Convert to Can$: 1 million Lira.

4. At opening on Monday the stock market stood at 8050 points, and at close on
Friday, the Stock market stood at 8150 points.  On Monday the stock market
went up 3%, on Tuesday there was no change, and on Thursday and Friday the
stock market down 4% each day. What happened with the stock market on
Wednesday?