A local grocer cut his marketing budget by 38% last year. He spent only $650 on marketing this year and is happy with his decision. How much did the grocer spend on marketing last year?
This means that 650 is 38% of the amount the grocer spent before making a cut in the budget. Set up and equal proportion to solve: 650/x = 38/100 → 650*100 = 38x → approximately $1710.53 spent last year