Answer
Median salary with bachelor’s: ${{\$}} 81,000$
Median salary with master’s: ${{\$}} 92,000$
Work Step by Step
Salary of an American whose final degree is a bachelor’s is $ x $ (in thousands of dollars).
$70 $ thousand less than 2$\times $(x) is $2x-70$
Thus, the salary of an American whose final degree is a master’s is $2x-70$
Total = $ x+(2x-70)=3x-70$
We are given that the total is $173$.
$ 3x-70=173 \qquad $ ... add 70
$3x=173+70$
$ 3x=243 \qquad $ ... divide with $3$
$ x=81$ thousand
$(2x-70=2(81)-70=92)$
Median salary with bachelor’s: ${{\$}} 81,000$
Median salary with master’s: ${{\$}} 92,000$
