Mario spent a total of $87.33 last week but did not keep a perfect record of where his money went. Fortunately, Mario does have all but one of his receipts. He enters all of the information he has into his expense spreadsheet as shown below.
| | A | B |
| :------ | :------------ | :------- |
| 1 | Transaction | Amount |
| 2 | Oil change | $18.95 |
| 3 | Gas in car | $20.50 |
| 4 | Lunch out | $12.68 |
| 5 | Golfing | |
| 6 | Total Spent | $87.33 |
How much did Mario spend on golfing?
a. $35.20
b. $45.20
c. $47.88
d. $143.96
Answer (1)
Calculate the sum of Mario's known expenses: $18.95 + $20.50 + $12.68 = $52.13 .
Subtract the sum of known expenses from the total amount spent: $87.33 − $52.13 = $35.20 .
Mario spent $35.20 on golfing.
The final answer is $35.20 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given the total amount Mario spent last week and the amounts he spent on oil change, gas, and lunch. We need to find out how much he spent on golfing.
Setting up the Equation Let's denote the amount spent on golfing as x . The total amount spent is the sum of the amounts spent on each item. So, we can write the equation:
$18.95 + $20.50 + $12.68 + x = $87.33
Calculating Known Expenses Now, we need to solve for x . First, let's add the known expenses:
$18.95 + $20.50 + $12.68 = $52.13
So, the equation becomes:
$52.13 + x = $87.33
Solving for Golfing Expenses To find x , we subtract the sum of the known expenses from the total amount:
x = $87.33 − $52.13
x = $35.20
Final Answer Therefore, Mario spent $35.20 on golfing.
Examples
Understanding how to track expenses and calculate missing amounts is crucial in personal finance. For example, if you're budgeting for a trip and have estimated costs for transportation, accommodation, and activities, you can use this method to determine how much you have left for food and souvenirs. By subtracting the known expenses from your total budget, you can easily find the remaining amount, helping you stay within your financial limits.
