Question

Spices were very expensive in the 1400’s. Typically, master carpenters worked 11 hour days during this time. It took 2 ½ days wages for a master carpenter to buy one pound of cinnamon. Today it would take 20 minutes wage for a master carpenter to buy the same amount of cinnamon. Based on the number of minutes worked, how many times more expensive was cinnamon during the 1400’s than today. (Must show how you got the answer.)

Answer 1

Answer:

82.5 times

Explanation:

In the 1400's :

Hours worked by master carpenters = 11 hrs/day

Number of days wage required to purchase 1 pound of cinnamon = 2 1/2 days

Hence, total number of hours worked in other to afford 1 pound of cinnamon:

(2 1/2 * 11 hours) = 27.5 hours

27.5 hours to minutes :

(27.5 × 60) = 1650 minutes

Hence master carpenters have to work for 1650 minutes to be capable of affording 1 pound of cinnamon.

Minutes required to afford 1 pound today = 20 minutes.

Based on the number of minutes wage required:

(1650 / 20) = 82.5 times

Cinnamon could be said to be 82.5 times more expensive in the 1400's than today.