Functional Skills: Best Buys

Brand B contains 3 times as much tomato purée as brand A. (200\text{ ml} \times 3 = 600\text{ ml}), thus we need to compare the cost if buying 3 containers of brand A with 1 container of brand B.

 

\text{600 ml of brand 1 costs }=\pounds0.80\times 3 = \pounds 2.40

 

This is more than £2.20, so we can see that brand B is better value for money.

Firstly, we  need to calculate how many pencils you would get if you bought a box of pencils from brand A given that their offer states you get 30\% more pencils for free.

 

30\%\text{ of }120 = 0.3\times 120=36\text{ extra pencils}

 

This means that for £4.20 you receive 120+36=156 pencils instead of 120

 

The next step is to calculate how much each pencil costs for each brand.

 

If brand A sells 156 pencils for £4.20, then the price per pencil would be as follows:

 

\pounds4.20 \div 156 = \pounds0.0269……

 

If brand B sells 200 pencils for £6.20, then the price per pencil would be as follows:

 

\pounds6.20 \div 200 = \pounds0.031

 

Therefore, brand A is better value for money as the price per pencil is less.

In this case we will calculate the cost per gram of the strawberries to work out which supermarket offers the best value for money.

 

Supermarket A:

 

2.40\div 215=\pounds 0.0111...\text{ per gram}

 

Supermarket B:

 

4.10\div 403=\pounds 0.0101...\text{ per gram}

 

Supermarket C:

 

\text3.40\div 297=\pounds 0.0114...\text{ per gram}

 

Therefore, supermarket B offers the best value for money.

a) If Lucy is buying 100 g of fizzy cola bottles, then this is one tenth of a kilogram (1000\text{ grams} \div 100\text{ grams} = 10).

 

If fizzy cola bottles costs £8.90 per kilogram, then the cost of 100 g can be calculated as follows:

 

\pounds8.90 \div 10 = \pounds0.89

 

b) In order to compare the prices of both sweets, we need to work out how much each sweet costs per gram.

 

The price of sherbet lemons can be calculated as follows:

 

\pounds1.96 \div 200= \pounds0.0098 \text{ per gram}

 

The price of fizzy cola bottles can be calculated as follows:

 

\pounds8.90 \div1000= \pounds0.0089\text{ per gram}

 

As a result, we can see that the fizzy cola bottles is better value as it costs less.

 

To work out the difference per gram, it might be easier to change the prices in pounds per gram to prices in pence per gram.

 

\text{ Sherbet lemon: }\pounds0.0098 \times 100 = 0.98\text{ pence per gram}

 

\text{ Fizzy cola bottles: }\pounds0.0089 \times 100 = 0.89\text{ pence per gram}

Difference:

0.98 - 0.89= 0.09\text{ pence per gram}

Swift Cabs:

 

The first mile is £3.80 and the remaining 8 miles are charged at £1.60.  The total cost of the journey can be calculated as follows:

 

\pounds3.00 + \pounds 3.80 + (\pounds1.60 \times 8) = \pounds19.60

 

Zoom Taxis:

\pounds3.80 + (9 \times \pounds1.60) = \pounds18.20

 

Relaxi Cabs:

 

9 \times \pounds2.10 = \pounds18.90

 

The best value company is Zoom Taxis, the next best value is Relaxi Cabs, and the worst value is Swift Cabs.