Mike works as a sales associate at a retail store. He is normally paid 15% of the total retail value of the merchandise he sells, but he may also earn a bonus. When he earns a bonus, he is paid an additional 10% of his normal pay. During one pay period, Mike sold $1300 in merchandise and earned a bonus. How much was he paid, in dollars, for this pay period?

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Mike is paid 15% of the total retail value of his merchandise:

$$\text{pay}=0.15(1{,}300)$$ $$\text{pay}=195$$

His bonus is 10% of his normal pay:

$$\text{bonus}=0.10(195)$$ $$\text{bonus}=19.5$$ $$\text{total pay}=195+19.5$$ $$\text{total pay}= \boxed{\$214.50}$$

We could have also done this in one step:

$$\text{total pay}=1{,}300(0.15)(1.1)$$ $$= \boxed{\$214.50}$$