42. An artist sells paintings at $5.50 each. She has 7 stands in town and pays $35 per stand. What was her profit if she sold an average of 11 paintings per stand?
Answer: B
The artist's profit was $178.50.
To calculate the profit, we first determine the total sales from the paintings and then subtract the total expenses for the stands. Selling 11 paintings per stand across 7 stands results in total sales of $5.50 per painting, yielding a profit of $178.50 after accounting for the costs.
A) $245
This option is incorrect because it does not account for the expenses associated with the stands. While it may seem that selling 11 paintings per stand results in a higher revenue, without subtracting the stand costs, the profit cannot be accurately calculated.
B) $178.50
This is the correct answer. The total revenue from selling 77 paintings (11 paintings per stand multiplied by 7 stands) at $5.50 each is $423.50. After deducting the total cost of the stands ($245), the profit is calculated as $423.50 - $245 = $178.50.
C) $175
This option is incorrect as it underestimates the profit. The calculations show that the profit, after subtracting the stand expenses from total revenue, is actually $178.50, not $175. This discrepancy indicates a failure to accurately reflect the financial outcome.
D) $423.50
This option represents the total revenue generated from sales, not the profit. Profit is determined by subtracting expenses from revenue. Therefore, while $423.50 is the gross amount earned from selling the paintings, it fails to account for the necessary deductions of the stand costs.
Conclusion
The correct answer, $178.50, accurately reflects the profit after expenses are deducted from total revenue generated by the artist's sales. Other options either miscalculate the profit by not factoring in costs or misinterpret revenue as profit, demonstrating a misunderstanding of basic profit calculations.