a company has been forced to reduce its number of employees. today the company has 38% fewer employees than…

a company has been forced to reduce its number of employees. today the company has 38% fewer employees than it did a year ago. if there are currently 279 employees, how many employees did the company have a year ago?
Answer
Explanation:
Step1: Define the relationship
Let the number of employees a year ago be $x$. The current number of employees is $x$ minus 38% of $x$. So, the current number of employees is $x(1 - 0.38)$.
Step2: Set up the equation
We know the current number of employees is 279. So, $x(1 - 0.38)=279$, which simplifies to $0.62x = 279$.
Step3: Solve for $x$
Divide both sides of the equation by 0.62: $x=\frac{279}{0.62}$. $x = 450$.
Answer:
450