Question

Sales for a business were $3$ million dollars more the second year than the first, and sales for the third year were double the sales for the second year. If sales for the third year were $38$ million dollars, what were sales, in millions of dollars, for the first year?

• A. $16$
• B. $17.5$
• C. $20.5$
• D. $24$
• E. $35$

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

$16$

Sales of the third year $=38$ million dollars

Sales of third year is double the sales for the second year.

$\therefore$ sales of second year is half of the third year sale

Second year sales $=$ $\frac{38}{2}=19$ million dollars

Sales of the second year is $3$ million dollars more than first year sales

$\therefore$ sales of first year $=$ $19-3=16$ million dollars.