Real-Life Math -- Solution
To determine the printing and artwork (production) cost per manual,
you begin by dividing the total cost of each by the number of manuals:
$129
for artwork per manual / 300 manuals = $0.43 per manual
$495
for printing and binding costs per manual / 300 manuals = $1.65 per manual
$0.43
per manual for artwork + $1.65 per manual for printing and binding = $2.08
per manual
The production cost per manual is $2.08 each.
Cost
per manual for labor = $18.50 per piece
Cost per manual for
production = $2.08 per piece
The total cost per manual = $20.58
per manual
The software company budgeted $21 per manual. The difference
between the budgeted cost and the actual cost is 42 cents per manual. That
means your firm has brought the project in under budget, resulting in a total
savings of $126 for your client.
Being strong in math is not a universal
expectation for technical writers, notes Louise Rehling, a technical writer
who teaches the subject at the university level.
Some writers do need
excellent math skills, however.