If Y is your before-tax income, suppose that the government takes away 1/4 Y-10 as taxes. What was your pre-tax income if your after-tax income is $280? Here is my set-up; 4(1/4 Y -10=280) Y-40 =1120 Y=1160 1/4 (1160)= $290 is the pre-tax income. The answer in the back of the book is Y= $360. I do not know if I read the question wrong, but I reread it. And I try to also to let Y be 280 and then solve the equation. The answer is wrong, too. And I did the set-up three times, I arrive at the same answer. The problem is straight forward. Did I miss a step?