math problem

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I used to work for a cab company and I think they're screwing their drivers.

okay, at the end of the night, we tallied our fares and gave the management 60% of our earnings. If we had what they call a charge, that is, when an arrangement is made with the cab company and the person we're picking up to give them a ride to wherever they're going and they don't pay. They do pay the cab company directly the full amount of the fares at the end of the week or month or whatever.

So, let's say I have a fare that's $16.10 (highlighted in red below)

3.90
5.10
8.90
16.10
2.10

(I kept it short for the sake of time)

So, I'd add up my total: $36.10.

I'll then subtract 60% of that: $21.66.

But since I have a charge, I subtract the charge and give that to the management: $5.56

Since they had me add the charge into my bottom line is that being factored into my grand total or should they have the drivers omit that charge and add everything else up?

Because if I do the math correctly without the charge: $26.80 and I'd give the management back: $16.08

and remember, they're being paid the full charge amount at the end of the week.

Who's getting the short end of the stick?

I have to apologize for this. I really suck at math and it seems too complicated for me to figure out.

How are you getting the $26.80 figure? I added up the figures excluding the $16.10 fare and got $20.

see? I suck at math.

You're right. $20 even.

OK I'm not completely sure what you mean by a "charge"; all I can understand from what you tell me is that the company gets 100% of the payment for a charge and so you get none. Is that true?

I'm asking if the company takes from me 60% of what they're getting 100% of already.

Charge - prepaid account in essence.

I'll assume I have this right:

Charge: customer has an account with the cab company. The customer doesn't hand over any money in the cab. The driver just calls in the net amount to the cab company, and they bill the customer (typically a company) at the end of the week/month.

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Maybe a different way of looking at things might help:

In your example, the money that you collected yourself is:
3.90
5.10
8.90
2.10
====
20.00
====

Then you have a single "charge" item, that you haven't seen any of the cash for:
16.10

So, think of them separately, first.

Of the $20.00 dollars that you have, you need to hand over 60% of that to the company. I.e. that's $12.00 you owe them.

With the charge items (all one of it), they owe you your 40%. Hence they should give you $6.44 of what they have collected.

On balance, you owe them $12.00, less the $6.44 they owe you, so you send them $5.56 to get it straight.

Maybe occasionally you will have a day with a whole load of charge calls. On a day like that, the 40% cut of those calls (that the company owes you) may turn out to be more than the 60% from ordinary calls (that you owe them), so they'll pay you, for a pleasant change.

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The way you've done the calculation is just a different way of looking at it. You have lumped everything together, and done the 60% calculation. You've then calculated the sum of the charge calls (will is what the company already have "taken from you"), and paid them the difference. 100%-60%=40%.

All you have to be wary of is that you remember NOT to pay them when the answer comes out negative!

I'm afraid I don't understand.