1. **Problem statement:** Bosco bought a flat at the beginning of 2019 and sold it for 3200000 at the end of December 2019. The price dropped by 35% from January to October, then rose 10% per month from November onwards. We need to find: (a) The amount Bosco paid for the flat (start price). (b) The percentage change in the price during 2019. 2. **Formulas and rules:** - A drop of 35% means the price becomes $65\% = 0.65$ of the original. - A rise of 10% per month means multiplying by $1.10$ each month. - The price at the end of December is given as 3200000. 3. **Step (a): Find the initial price $P$** - Let $P$ be the price at the start of 2019. - After 10 months (Jan to Oct), price is $0.65P$. - Then price rises 10% in November: multiply by $1.10$. - Then price rises 10% in December: multiply by $1.10$ again. So, $$3200000 = 0.65P \times 1.10 \times 1.10 = 0.65P \times 1.21 = 0.7865P$$ Solve for $P$: $$P = \frac{3200000}{0.7865} \approx 4069003.82$$ Rounded to nearest 10000: $$P \approx 4070000$$ 4. **Step (b): Percentage change during 2019** - Percentage change formula: $$\text{Percentage change} = \frac{\text{Final price} - \text{Initial price}}{\text{Initial price}} \times 100\%$$ Calculate: $$= \frac{3200000 - 4069003.82}{4069003.82} \times 100\% = \frac{-869003.82}{4069003.82} \times 100\% \approx -21.36\%$$ Rounded to 3 significant figures: $$-21.4\%$$ **Final answers:** - (a) Bosco paid approximately 4070000. - (b) The price decreased by about 21.4% during 2019.