Whether dealing with a small or large construction job, it is wise to get several bids for the work. Depending on the pricing structure, one company might offer the best bid on a particular job, but on another job, the very same company may be overpriced.

In each problem below, you will compare bids from two construction companies. Each company charges a fixed price and adds to that, a cost per square foot of work done. Find the best bid in each of the following problems. When you have completed each problem, enter your answers into the interactive application to check them. Click on the "play" button to enter your first set of values. Then hit the "enter" key to see the results.