Help with math problem -- and please keep your answer simple . . .

bertha katzenengel

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Mon Feb-11-08 12:12 PM
Original message

Help with math problem -- and please keep your answer simple . . .

. . . I barely made it out of pre-algebra. If I ever took anything else, I don't remember it.

I have a phone bill to be divided equally between 20 clients.

But the boss says, "don't charge these seven."

How do I reallocate those charges among the remaining 13?

I have some ideas but want to hear the right one from someone here...

Thanks

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unpossibles

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Mon Feb-11-08 12:17 PM
Response to Original message

1. the total divided by 13 instead of 20

if you've already charged the 13 for their 1/20th share, just figure out the difference (1/13 - 1/20 = what they still owe)

Or is this more of a math/ethics thing?

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Beer Snob-50

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Mon Feb-11-08 12:18 PM
Response to Original message

2. I would simply divide the total bill by the 13

:donut:

it is break time now.

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KitchenWitch

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Mon Feb-11-08 12:46 PM
Response to Original message

3. It depends

How does your boss want the charges accounted for?

One way would be to just divide the bill by 13 and submit it to the clients. This would not give an accounting for the 7/20 of the bill that is being reallocated to the 13 clients.

The other way would be to divide the bill by 20. Then divide 7/20 by 13 and submit it as 1/20 + (7/20)/13 of the bill to the 13 clients.

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petronius

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Mon Feb-11-08 12:50 PM
Response to Original message

4. Submit the full bill to each one of the 20 clients

Inform the 7 of the 20 that they don't have to pay it. Pay the bill with 1/13 of the money that comes in. Put the other 12/13 in your pocket. Easy as pie! I'm good at math (just bad at ethics...)

;)

Or, just divide the original total by 13 instead of by 20.

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flvegan

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Mon Feb-11-08 12:55 PM
Response to Original message

5. But then aren't you overcharging those 13 clients?

The bill is 20 equal parts. 7 clients are getting off without having to pay. The other clients shouldn't have to make up the difference, unless that's the agreement. If the boss doesn't want to charge 7 clients, that's his option, but he should then eat the difference.

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Crabby Appleton

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Mon Feb-11-08 01:01 PM
Response to Reply #5

7. I Agree. That would be my answer.

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suninvited

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Mon Feb-11-08 02:01 PM
Response to Reply #5

10. I agree with this answer

sounds logical to me.

Seems like the problem is missing that part of the question. Are they taking the loss for those 7, or making the other 13 pay their portion?

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Beer Snob-50

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Mon Feb-11-08 02:15 PM
Response to Reply #10

11. the way the problem reads,

the other 13 are eating the difference. at least that is how i read it. maybe it is also the accoutnant in me who doesn't want my company to have to eat any more expense than is necessary.

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OPERATIONMINDCRIME

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Mon Feb-11-08 01:00 PM
Response to Original message

6. I Think It's A Clarify Further With Your Boss Problem.

The way it comes off to me, is that the bill is to be divided by 20, and that 1/20th amount sent to each of the 13 remaining clients, while your boss is willing to pay the rest left over from the 7 clients.

But each of the 13 still only owe 1/20th, but your boss or your company thinks highly enough of the 7, to pay their part on their behalf. Just some perks, it sounds like.

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JustABozoOnThisBus

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Mon Feb-11-08 01:54 PM
Response to Original message

8. Divide by 20

and submit the amount to each of the 13.

Then tell the boss that he's eating the seven charges.

Boss'll then tell you what he wanted in the first place.

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Fredda Weinberg

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Mon Feb-11-08 02:17 PM
Response to Reply #8

12. Literally correct n/t

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Rabrrrrrr

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Mon Feb-11-08 02:01 PM
Response to Original message

9. Divide it by 13 instead of 20.

Edited on Mon Feb-11-08 02:03 PM by Rabrrrrrr

Though you didn't give much information, so answering is difficult.

If your boss' intention is the eat the bill for the non-paying seven, then you would still divide the bill by 20, but only charge the 13 that he said to charge.

OR - maybe your boss wants you to take out the costs that were actually related to those seven, in which case you take those costs out, then divide what's left by the 13 he wants to charge.

But, without any real clarification as to what your boss wants, no one can give a good answer.

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yellowcanine

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Mon Feb-11-08 02:20 PM
Response to Original message

13. This is not a math problem. It is an ethics problem. If 7 clients can't be charged, it is

unethical to make the remaining 13 pay extra. The firm needs to "eat" those charges. That is all.

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