Need help adding a percentage cost to a selling price

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating a selling price that incorporates various costs, including flat fees, shipping, material costs, and a desired profit margin, while also accounting for a percentage fee applied to the selling price. Participants explore the algebraic formulation of this problem, seeking clarity on how to structure the calculations correctly.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant outlines the total costs involved: flat fees of $4.70, shipping of $5.20, material costs of $100, and a 35% profit margin on material costs, totaling $135.
  • Another participant provides a formula to calculate the selling cost, incorporating the 11.9% fee applied to the selling price, and demonstrates the algebraic steps to isolate the selling cost.
  • Multiple participants reiterate the same algebraic approach, confirming the calculations and providing similar breakdowns of the formula.
  • One participant expresses gratitude for the clarity of the explanation and acknowledges their previous confusion in setting up the calculation.
  • A later reply confirms the formula used and reaffirms the calculations, indicating a sense of resolution for the initial query.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the algebraic approach to solving the problem, with no significant disagreement noted. However, the initial poster expresses uncertainty about the setup of the calculation, which is addressed through the responses.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not delve into potential limitations of the approach or assumptions made in the calculations, leaving those aspects unresolved.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals seeking to understand how to incorporate multiple costs and fees into a selling price, particularly in a business context involving profit calculations.

mrmikepan
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Sorry if this question sounds stupid...

I know there's something obvious that I'm missing (maybe not) but its taking me forever to figure out on my own.

What were trying to do is cover all costs associated for the sale within the selling price.

We have-
  • Flat Fees: $4.70
  • Shipping: $5.20
  • Material costs: $100
  • And we want to include a 35% Profit of Material Costs ($35) within the selling price.
  • And last but not least, the part I can't figure out is how to add a 11.9% fee to the selling price (applied after the sale of everything combined).

I need to have it be exact! So if the fees were deducted I would be left with 135 dollars. ($100 + the 35% profit)

If I add 11.9 percent of the selling cost, the 11.9 percent value will have changed because I'm adding the dollar amount to the total...right? So how can I account for it? By raising the 35 percent profits to something more?

I just need to be sent in the right direction so that I could do this alone next time. Not necessarily looking for the answer, I'm looking for the procedure/the way to go about this type of calculation which I'm sure happens all the time in business.

Thanks for all your help! (Smile)
 
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Re: Need up adding a percentage cost to a selling price!

Just a little algebra.

•Flat Fees: $4.70
•Shipping: $5.20
•Material costs: $100
•And we want to include a 35% Profit of Material Costs ($35) within the selling price.
•And last but not least, the part I can't figure out is how to add a 11.9% fee (applied after the sale) of everything combined to the selling cost.

(Selling Cost) = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35 + 0.119*(Selling Cost)

Some algebra

(Selling Cost) - 0.119*(Selling Cost) = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35

More algebra

(Selling Cost)(1 - 0.119) = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35

Still More

(Selling Cost) = (4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35)/(1 - 0.119)

Now for arithmetic

(Selling Cost) = (9.90 + 135.00)/(0.881) = 144.90/0.881 = 164.48

Check it out!

164.48*0.119 = 19.57
164.48 - 19.57 = 144.91 and this is not quite 144.90 only because of rounding.
 
Re: Need up adding a percentage cost to a selling price!

tkhunny said:
Just a little algebra.

•Flat Fees: $4.70
•Shipping: $5.20
•Material costs: $100
•And we want to include a 35% Profit of Material Costs ($35) within the selling price.
•And last but not least, the part I can't figure out is how to add a 11.9% fee (applied after the sale) of everything combined to the selling cost.

(Selling Cost) = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35 + 0.119*(Selling Cost)

Some algebra

(Selling Cost) - 0.119*(Selling Cost) = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35

More algebra

(Selling Cost)(1 - 0.119) = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35

Still More

(Selling Cost) = (4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35)/(1 - 0.119)

Now for arithmetic

(Selling Cost) = (9.90 + 135.00)/(0.881) = 144.90/0.881 = 164.48

Check it out!

164.48*0.119 = 19.57
164.48 - 19.57 = 144.91 and this is not quite 144.90 only because of rounding.

OMG TY! I don't know why this was taking me so long, for some reason when I was trying to do it in my head trying to setup the calculation I needed in excel. I felt like I was going in circles. Its nice to get things explained clearly, ty!
 
Re: Need up adding a percentage cost to a selling price!

tkhunny said:
Just a little algebra.

•Flat Fees: $4.70
•Shipping: $5.20
•Material costs: $100
•And we want to include a 35% Profit of Material Costs ($35) within the selling price.
•And last but not least, the part I can't figure out is how to add a 11.9% fee (applied after the sale) of everything combined to the selling cost.

(Selling Cost) = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35 + 0.119*(Selling Cost)

Some algebra

(Selling Cost) - 0.119*(Selling Cost) = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35

More algebra

(Selling Cost)(1 - 0.119) = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35

Still More

(Selling Cost) = (4.70 + 5.20 + 100.00*1.35)/(1 - 0.119)

Now for arithmetic

(Selling Cost) = (9.90 + 135.00)/(0.881) = 144.90/0.881 = 164.48

Check it out!

164.48*0.119 = 19.57
164.48 - 19.57 = 144.91 and this is not quite 144.90 only because of rounding.

One little thing I wanted to ask:
The formula is -

... x = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100*1.35 + 0.119x right?
-0.119x ...... - 0.119x

0.881x = 4.70 + 5.20 + 100*1.35
0.881 .... 0.881

x = (4.70 + 5.20 + (100*1.35))/0.881
x = (9.90 + 135)/0.881
x = 144.90/0.881
x = 164.47 (164.47*0.119) = 19.57

164.47 - 4.70 = 159.77
159.77 - 5.29 = 154.57
154.57 - 19.57 = 135!

Yay! I guess I answered my own question (Giggle)
 

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