Question

Gail bought a new baseball cap for $7.50 which was 1/3 off the oringinal price. What was the original price?

Answer 1

The orginal price was $22.5. You just multiply $7.50 by 3.

Answer 2

The answer is is $22.50

This problem can be solved with proportions/ratios and cross multiplication

To set it up, you can write out the ratios like this
$\frac{7.50}{x} = \frac{1}{3}$
where x=original price

or you can first write it like this, following the wording of the sentence
$7.50= (\frac{1}{3}) original price$
and then divide to get 
$\frac{7.50}{x} = \frac{1}{3}$

Now cross multiply (multiply numbers diagonal from each other together)
($7.50)(3)=(1)(x)
$22.50=x

The answer is is $22.50