Radwyn Horticulture is a company which focuses upon selling saplings. The company can grow a sapling for $15.45, and can sell that sapling for $36.50. There are three main salespeople at Radwyn Horticulture, each of whom earns a different commission per sapling sold, as shown in the table below. Salesperson Commission/Sale Lara $8.15 Ian $11.25 Ari $8.90 Radwyn Horticulture’s fixed overhead expenses last month came to $7,699.45. It is known that one salesperson sold 191 saplings, one salesperson sold 245 saplings, and one salesperson sold 221 saplings. Which arrangement of sales would cause Radwyn Horticulture to break even?
Answer
A
Lara sells 221 saplings; Ian sells 191 saplings; Ari sells 245 saplings
B
Lara sells 221 saplings; Ian sells 245 saplings, Ari sells 191 saplings
C
Lara sells 191 saplings; Ian sells 221 saplings, Ari sells 245 saplings
D
Lara sells 191 saplings; Ian sells 245 saplings, Ari sells 221 saplings
Explanation
Each sapling brings in $36.50 − $15.45 = $21.05 before commission. Across 657 saplings, that is $13,829.85, so commissions must total $13,829.85 − $7,699.45 = $6,130.40 for the company to break even. In choice a, commissions total 221 × $8.15 + 191 × $11.25 + 245 × $8.90 = $6,130.40, so Lara sells 221, Ian sells 191, and Ari sells 245 saplings.
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