the price of a brick today is 49 cents. this is 3 cents less than 4 times the price 20 years ago. what was the price 20 years ago?

46=4x

thats how to set up the problem to make x how much the brick was. I don't know if its right, but i tried doing it and i got

x = 11.5

I think Chopsticks misread the problem.

let P=price 20 years ago

49 cents = 4P-(3 cents)
52 cents = 4P
P=13 cents

49 - 3= 46

46/4= 11.5
x=11.5

Let P = price 20 years ago

49 = 4P - 3

Add 3 to both sides.

4P = 52

Divide both sides by 4.

P = 13 cents

Does this make it clearer? Thanks for asking.

To find the price of a brick 20 years ago, we can start by setting up an equation based on the given information.

Let's assume the price of a brick 20 years ago was "x" dollars.

According to the information given, the price of a brick today is 49 cents, which is 3 cents less than 4 times the price 20 years ago. Mathematically, this can be represented as:

49 cents = 4x - 3 cents

To solve for "x," let's isolate it by adding 3 cents to both sides:

49 cents + 3 cents = 4x - 3 cents + 3 cents

52 cents = 4x

Next, divide both sides of the equation by 4 to solve for "x":

52 cents / 4 = 4x / 4

13 cents = x

Therefore, the price of a brick 20 years ago was 13 cents.