algabra problem!

[zwaldd]

either i've lost one too many brain cells or this is more complicated than it sounds:

i have a mutual fund that, at this time, charges 5% for a withdrawal.
how much would i have to withdraw to end up with exactly $5000 in hand?

extra credit: show me the algebra.

[zwaldd]

ok - it was the missing brain cells.
thanks anyway.

moderator can ya close this before i get made fun of.

[greyseal]

x - .05x = 5000
(1 - .05)x = 5000
.95x = 5000
x ~ 5263.16

[Saltire]

$5263.16

You want to find the amount such that $5000 is 95% of it. Thus:

.95x=5000
x=5000/.95

[Nukeman]

okay, if you withdraw $5000 you get $5000 dollars, duh, but I want to show off so here goes:

no algebra involved im afraid. Just maths.

If you want to work out what 95% of something is you just go
5000 x 0.95 = 4750

so, if you withdrew $5000 you would lose $250
to work out how much you need to withdraw, just do:
original amount * 0.95 = 5000
so original amount = 5000 / 0.95
= 5263.157 (3 dp)

[Nukeman]

bastards!
got there while i was typing

[zwaldd]

no algebra involved im afraid. Just maths.

<snip>

original amount * 0.95 = 5000
so original amount = 5000 / 0.95

that's algebra!

[Nukeman]

no its not. Algebra is with letters
eg quadratic equations

[Kyberneticist]

Originally posted by Nukeman
no its not. Algebra is with letters
eg quadratic equations
Dictionary.
algebra - a generalization of arithmetic in which letters representing numbers are combined according to the rules of arithmetic

You just had a really long way of writing "x", i.e., "original amount".

Ok, so this post isn't completely without substance, was it Lewis Carroll who said "algebra is a wonderful game, we go hunting a beast we know nothing about, so we call it x"?

[Nukeman]

okay youre right, but its not very complicated algebra - not what a mathematician would call algebra. Take a look at some Quantum equations to see what I mean

[manhattan]

Closed at the OP's request.