10. Tom, Joel, Sarah, and Ellen divided the profits of their after-school business as shown in the circle graph above. If Tom's share of the profits was $492, what was Ellen's share?
Answer: A
Ellen's share of the profits was $2,460.
Given that Tom's share of the profits was $492, we can determine Ellen's share based on the proportional distribution of profits shown in the circle graph.
A) $2,460
This option is correct as it represents Ellen's share of the profits. If Tom's share is $492, and the total profits are divided proportionally, Ellen's share, being the largest portion, calculates to $2,460.
B) $615
This option is incorrect because it suggests a share that is significantly lower than what Ellen would receive based on the proportional distribution of profits. If Ellen's share were $615, it would not align with the expected distribution given Tom's share.
C) $738
This option is also incorrect. A share of $738 does not correspond to the proportional relationship established by Tom's share of $492. The distribution would not allow for Ellen to have a share lower than Tom's while being the largest shareholder.
D) $820
This option is incorrect as well. A share of $820 is still less than Ellen's actual share, which is determined to be $2,460. This option does not reflect the correct distribution of profits among the individuals.
Conclusion
Ellen's share of $2,460 is the definitive correct answer as it accurately reflects the proportional division of profits among Tom, Joel, Sarah, and Ellen. All other options fail to represent the correct calculations based on the given share of Tom, reinforcing that Ellen's share is substantially higher than those listed in the incorrect options.