Real-Life Math
"Math can be an important skill for reading and understanding certain research and ethical dilemmas," says Michael McDonald, an ethicist. "Especially in business ethics, you may have to read through financial statements to figure out if what is done is correct."
Last month, the managers for Ada, a popular singer, offered to let a music recording business called High Note buy promotional tickets for the singer's concert at a reduced price.
At the reduced rate, the tickets were $95 for adults and $80 for children. These were still expensive, but a real bargain compared to the original price. High Note purchased the reduced tickets for its employees.
Recently, Ada's manager contacted High Note about the high number of reduced tickets purchased by the company. The music recording company is also concerned, and calls you, an ethicist, in to have a look at their accounting books and figure out if there was unethical ticket purchasing happening at the company.
You believe that it was only ethical for the office to purchase tickets at a reduced rate for employees and their immediate family. However, by going through the books, you have discovered that an employee bought extra adult tickets at a reduced rate and resold them.
You find:
Some 15 employees decided to go to the concert. Five children and 10 spouses went with them.
The adult tickets were $95, and the children's ticket prices were reduced to $80.
If the office spent $4,105 on tickets, how many extra adult tickets did the employee purchase?